What is NYT Spelling Bee?
Spelling Bee hands you seven letters arranged in a honeycomb, with one letter in the centre. Your job is to make as many words as possible, each at least four letters long and always using the centre letter. Letters can be reused, so short words can grow into long ones. Every day there is at least one pangram, a word that uses all seven letters, and finding it is worth extra points. As your score grows you climb through ranks, which makes it easy to play in short bursts: a few words with breakfast, a few more at lunch. Unlike most daily games there is no fail state, only a growing list of words and the nagging feeling that one more is hiding in plain sight. It is a favourite for people who love vocabulary and slow, relaxed puzzling rather than racing against a limit.
How to play
- Make words of four or more letters using only the seven letters shown.
- Every word must include the centre letter. Letters can repeat.
- Look for the pangram that uses all seven letters for bonus points.
Quick facts
- Typical time
- 10–30 min · or on and off all day
- Difficulty
- Medium · the top ranks are hard
- Price
- Free up to a point: without a subscription the game stops you part-way up the ranks. Subscribers get the whole puzzle.
- Account
- Not needed for the free part.
- Past puzzles
- For subscribers.
- On a phone
- In the browser, or in the NYT Games app for iPhone and Android.
- Ranks
- From Beginner up to Genius. Find every word and you earn the hidden rank, Queen Bee.
Tips to get better
- Look for the pangram first. Every puzzle has at least one word that uses all seven letters. It's worth the most, and searching for it shows you which letter combinations are in play.
- Forget plurals. The puzzle never includes the letter S. Stretch words with other endings instead: -ED, -ING, -ER, -LY, -TION.
- Reuse letters. A letter can be used as often as you like, so think of words with doubles, like NANNY, TATTOO or LLAMA.
- Go for length. A four-letter word earns one point. Longer words earn a point per letter, so they move you up the ranks much faster.
- Shuffle the hive. A new arrangement shows you new words. Do it every time you dry up.
- Come back later. There's no timer and the puzzle lasts all day. Words you couldn't see in the morning often jump out at lunch.
Who it's for
Spelling Bee is for people who like to potter. It's a game to keep open and return to during the day, and reaching Genius feels like a real achievement. The word list can be maddening: some ordinary words are refused and some obscure ones are required. The free version also cuts you off early, so it's really a game for subscribers. For a free alternative, try Blossom.
