NYT Spelling Bee

Answers · Analysis · Spoiler controlled

Spelling Bee Answers & Analysis

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

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

ILRTUV A
57Answers
1Pangrams
252Maximum
177Genius

Answer shape

Use the distributions before revealing any words.

Words by first letter

A14
L8
R8
T15
U3
V9

Words by length

417
521
611
77
81

Two-letter starts

AL3
AR3
AT4
AU2
AV2
LA5
LI2
LU1
RA4
RI3
RU1
TA7
TI2
TR6
UL1
UV2
VA1
VI5
VU3

Pangram ladder

Open one clue at a time.

Pangram 1
Length

7 letters · 14 points

First and last letters

V … L

Letter pattern

V•••••L

No repeated letters

Reveal Pangram — spoiler

virtual

Complete answer list

Reveal full answers — spoiler

A 14

  • alit
  • alluvial
  • altar
  • aria
  • aril
  • arrival
  • atilt
  • atria
  • atrial
  • attar
  • aura
  • aural
  • avail
  • avatar

L 8

  • lair
  • lariat
  • larva
  • larval
  • lava
  • liar
  • lira
  • luau

R 8

  • rail
  • raita
  • ratatat
  • rattail
  • rial
  • ritual
  • rival
  • rural

T 15

  • tail
  • tali
  • tall
  • tallit
  • tart
  • tartar
  • taut
  • tiara
  • titular
  • trail
  • trait
  • travail
  • trial
  • trivia
  • trivial

U 3

  • ultra
  • uvula
  • uvular

V 9

  • vault
  • vial
  • villa
  • viral
  • virtualPangram
  • vital
  • vulva
  • vulval
  • vulvar

How hard was this puzzle?

This puzzle's structural difficulty is Moderate at 33/100, compared with 126 available puzzles through this date.

Read the difficulty methodology and comparisons