NYT Spelling Bee

Answers · Analysis · Spoiler controlled

Spelling Bee Answers & Analysis

Monday, January 12, 2026

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

ACELTZ I
46Answers
1Pangrams
223Maximum
157Genius

Answer shape

Use the distributions before revealing any words.

Words by first letter

A6
C7
E3
I5
L11
T13
Z1

Words by length

413
511
612
76
82
92

Two-letter starts

AC3
AL1
AT2
CA3
CE2
CI2
EC1
EL2
IC1
IL2
IT2
LA5
LI6
TA7
TI6
ZI1

Pangram ladder

Open one clue at a time.

Pangram 1
Length

9 letters · 16 points

First and last letters

I … E

Letter pattern

I•••••••E

I × 3

Reveal Pangram — spoiler

italicize

Complete answer list

Reveal full answers — spoiler

A 6

  • acacia
  • acai
  • acetic
  • alit
  • atilt
  • attic

C 7

  • cacti
  • calcite
  • cattail
  • celiac
  • celli
  • cilia
  • cite

E 3

  • eclectic
  • elicit
  • elite

I 5

  • icicle
  • iliac
  • illicit
  • italic
  • italicizePangram

L 11

  • lactic
  • laic
  • laical
  • laicize
  • lattice
  • lice
  • licit
  • lilac
  • lilt
  • lite
  • little

T 13

  • tacit
  • tactic
  • tactical
  • tactile
  • tail
  • tali
  • tallit
  • tile
  • till
  • tilt
  • titillate
  • title
  • tittle

Z 1

  • ziti

How hard was this puzzle?

This puzzle's structural difficulty is Tricky at 50/100, compared with 12 available puzzles through this date.

Read the difficulty methodology and comparisons