NYT Spelling Bee

Answers · Analysis · Spoiler controlled

Today's Spelling Bee Answers & Analysis

Friday, September 18, 2026

Start with the shape of the puzzle, reveal only the help you want, and open the full list when you are ready.

CINQTU A
41Answers
1Pangrams
209Maximum
147Genius

Answer shape

Use the distributions before revealing any words.

Words by first letter

A13
C7
I2
N4
Q3
T12

Words by length

410
59
613
74
84
91

Two-letter starts

AC4
AN2
AQ4
AT2
AU1
CA6
CI1
IN2
NA3
NI1
QU3
TA9
TI2
TU1

Pangram ladder

Open one clue at a time.

Pangram 1
Length

8 letters · 15 points

First and last letters

A … T

Letter pattern

A••••••T

A × 2

Reveal Pangram — spoiler

acquaint

Complete answer list

Reveal full answers — spoiler

A 13

  • acacia
  • acai
  • acquaintPangram
  • acquit
  • anti
  • antic
  • aqua
  • aquanaut
  • aquatic
  • aquatint
  • attain
  • attic
  • aunt

C 7

  • cacti
  • cancan
  • canna
  • cant
  • cantata
  • cantina
  • cinquain

I 2

  • incant
  • intact

N 4

  • naan
  • nana
  • natant
  • niacin

Q 3

  • quaint
  • quant
  • quanta

T 12

  • tacit
  • tact
  • tactic
  • tactician
  • taint
  • tannic
  • tannin
  • taunt
  • taut
  • titan
  • titanic
  • tuna

How hard was this puzzle?

This puzzle's structural difficulty is Tricky at 61/100, compared with 261 available puzzles through this date.

Read the difficulty methodology and comparisons