How to Play NYT Spelling Bee
Build words from seven letters, always include the highlighted center letter, and work toward finding every answer and pangram.
Core rules
- Every word must contain at least four letters.
- Every word must include the center letter.
- Letters may be reused more than once.
- Proper nouns, hyphenated words, and most obscure terms are excluded.
How scoring works
| Answer | Points |
|---|---|
| Four-letter word | 1 point |
| Five letters or longer | 1 point per letter |
| Pangram | Word points + 7 bonus points |
What is a pangram?
A pangram uses all seven letters at least once. Letters can repeat, so a pangram may be longer than seven letters. Every daily puzzle includes at least one.
Practical solving tips
- Start with familiar prefixes and suffixes such as re-, un-, -ing, and -ed.
- Shuffle the outer letters when you stop seeing new combinations.
- Look for short words first, then extend them into longer forms.
- Track which outer letters you have not paired with the center letter.
- Search for the pangram by testing combinations that use every letter family.
Frequently asked questions
Can letters be used more than once?
Yes. Any of the seven letters may be reused as many times as needed.
What is a pangram?
A pangram is a valid answer that uses all seven letters in the hive at least once.
Does every word need the center letter?
Yes. Every accepted word must contain the highlighted center letter.