NYT Spelling Bee

Answers · Analysis · Spoiler controlled

Spelling Bee Answers & Analysis

Friday, February 20, 2026

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

ABDGLY U
28Answers
1Pangrams
100Maximum
70Genius

Answer shape

Use the distributions before revealing any words.

Words by first letter

B9
D6
G5
L7
U1

Words by length

414
59
62
72
81

Two-letter starts

BA1
BU8
DA1
DU5
GA1
GL1
GU3
LA3
LU4
UG1

Pangram ladder

Open one clue at a time.

Pangram 1
Length

7 letters · 14 points

First and last letters

L … G

Letter pattern

L•••••G

No repeated letters

Reveal Pangram — spoiler

ladybug

Complete answer list

Reveal full answers — spoiler

B 9

  • baud
  • bubba
  • bubbly
  • buddy
  • buggy
  • bulb
  • bulgy
  • bull
  • bully

D 6

  • daub
  • dual
  • dually
  • dull
  • dully
  • duly

G 5

  • gaudy
  • glug
  • gulag
  • gull
  • gully

L 7

  • ladybugPangram
  • laud
  • laudably
  • luau
  • lull
  • lullaby
  • lulu

U 1

  • ugly

How hard was this puzzle?

This puzzle's structural difficulty is Hard at 72/100, compared with 51 available puzzles through this date.

Read the difficulty methodology and comparisons