Most people open the NYT puzzle with no clue what the pangram is, and that one word can decide whether you hit Genius or give up. That's why https://todayspellingbeeanswers.com/ exists.
The game comes from the New York Times. It hands you seven letters in a honeycomb, and the center letter has to appear in every word you build. You'll find the full spelling bee answers, hints and pangram below, free and with no sign-up. The list refreshes every morning at 3 AM Eastern.
The Latest Puzzle at a Glance
The puzzle currently posted is dated Wednesday, September 23, 2026, and it uses the letters D, G, L, N, Y, Z and I. Every answer contains I, so that's your center letter. Keep your eyes on it whenever you feel stuck. There are 41 answers in total, one pangram, and a maximum score of 224 points. Genius takes 157 of those points, which is roughly 70 percent of the board. It's not a walk in the park, but it's very doable.
The letters lean hard on D, G, L and N, so endings like -ing, -ly and -y do a lot of the heavy lifting. Think dining, lining, giddily and dizzily. Z is the odd one out, and it only turns up in a few words like zing, dizzy and zingy.
The Pangram and Full Word List
Here's the big one. The pangram is dizzyingly, a ten-letter word that uses all seven letters and scores 17 points once you add the seven-point bonus. If you've been staring at the honeycomb wondering where to start, that word gets you a healthy chunk of the way there. The rest of the board breaks down neatly by length, which makes it easier to spot what you haven't found yet. If you only want the pangram, the pangram page keeps it on its own.
The four-letter words come first, nine of them at one point each: dill, ding, gild, gill, idly, idyl, illy, lily and zing. Then come nine five-letter words worth five points each: dilly, dingy, dizzy, dying, giddy, idyll, lying, ninny and zingy.
Six letters give you six answers worth six points apiece: diddly, dining, giggly, idling, inning and lining. Seven letters are the biggest group, with eleven words at seven points each: digging, dinging, dizzily, giddily, gigging, gilding, gilling, ginning, gliding, zigging and zinging.
Finally, six words run eight letters or longer. Besides the pangram, you've got diddling, dizzying, giddying, giggling and niggling, each worth eight points.
How the Game Works
The rules are simple enough to explain over coffee. You get seven letters arranged in a honeycomb, and the center one must appear in every word you make. Words need at least four letters to count. You can reuse a letter as often as you like inside a single word, which is exactly why ninny and giggly are fair game. It's a small rule, but it opens up a lot of answers people overlook.
Scoring and Ranks
Scoring rewards length. A four-letter word earns one point, and anything five letters or longer earns points equal to its length. The pangram adds seven bonus points on top of that.
So chasing longer words pays off faster than collecting a dozen short ones. As your total climbs, you move up through the ranks from Beginner all the way to Genius and, if you find everything, Queen Bee.
Missed a Day or Need a Nudge?
Everyone skips a puzzle now and then. The yesterday page keeps the previous day's complete word list and pangram. You can check what you missed and see why certain words made the official list.
If you'd rather keep some of the challenge alive, try the solver to work things out yourself. The hints page nudges you in the right direction without spoiling the whole thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pangram in the Spelling Bee?
It's a word that uses all seven of the day's letters at least once. Finding it earns the regular word points plus seven bonus points. Most puzzles have one, though occasionally there are two.
How is the NYT Spelling Bee scored?
Four-letter words get one point. Longer words earn points equal to their length, and pangrams add seven on top. Your rank rises as your total grows.
What is Queen Bee in Spelling Bee?
Queen Bee is the highest status in the game. You reach it by finding every valid word in that day's puzzle. Most players aim for Genius first, so Queen Bee is the full completion achievement.
When does the NYT Spelling Bee reset?
Every day at 3:00 AM Eastern Time. A fresh set of seven letters goes live, and the previous puzzle moves into the archive.
Is the NYT Spelling Bee free to play?
Playing on the official site requires a New York Times Games subscription. You can still get the full answers, hints and pangram on this page for free.
What is a Bingo in Spelling Bee?
A Bingo means you've found at least one word starting with each of the seven letters. It isn't an official NYT rank. It's a personal challenge that dedicated players set for themselves.
Final Thoughts
The Spelling Bee is at its best when you use help wisely. Try the puzzle on your own first, then peek at a hint or two if you're stuck. Look at the pangram only when you're ready, and check the full list at the end to see what slipped past you.
Whether you're chasing Genius or the elusive Queen Bee, keeping spelling bee answers close by makes each morning's puzzle more fun. It's a small daily habit, and it's a good one.
