Archive Rankings · Hardest on Record
Hardest NYT Spelling Bee Puzzles
Which daily NYT Spelling Bee puzzles are the most challenging? These are the 100 highest difficulty scores in our archive.
#1 Hardest Puzzle
May 29, 2026A
E
K
Q
S
U
Y
- 532.6Difficulty Score
- 41Possible Words
- 170Total Points
- 1Pangrams
- 39.45Rarity Score
- This puzzle
- 532.6
- Archive average
- 146.6
Average Difficulty Score
146.6
across 1,373 archived puzzles
Get Daily Answers by Email
We send the complete answer list to your inbox as soon as each puzzle is published. No spam, ever.
Top 100 Hardest NYT Spelling Bee Puzzles
The 100 highest difficulty scores in the archive, ordered from hardest down. Every date links to that puzzle's answer page.
| Rank | Date | Center | Difficulty | Rarity | Words | Points | Pangrams | Rare Letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2026-05-29 | A | 532.6 100th percentile | 39.45 100th percentile | 41 | 170 | 1 | High |
| #2 | 2026-08-19 | V | 422.2 100th percentile | 29.81 100th percentile | 41 | 211 | 1 | Medium |
| #3 | 2023-09-24 | M | 383.1 100th percentile | 21.67 99th percentile | 79 | 506 | 5 | Low |
| #4 | 2024-07-19 | W | 374.7 100th percentile | 23.85 100th percentile | 57 | 330 | 3 | Medium |
| #5 | 2025-03-12 | F | 370.8 100th percentile | 26.18 100th percentile | 43 | 178 | 1 | Low |
| #6 | 2025-07-05 | R | 367.6 100th percentile | 22.49 100th percentile | 69 | 367 | 3 | Low |
| #7 | 2025-09-02 | B | 367.5 100th percentile | 26.04 100th percentile | 40 | 174 | 2 | Medium |
| #8 | 2024-07-07 | F | 349.7 99th percentile | 20.30 99th percentile | 70 | 422 | 4 | Low |
| #9 | 2023-06-17 | B | 343.2 99th percentile | 22.13 100th percentile | 57 | 284 | 3 | Low |
| #10 | 2023-04-23 | W | 338.2 99th percentile | 21.30 99th percentile | 60 | 274 | 1 | Medium |
| #11 | 2026-09-27 | F | 331.6 99th percentile | 18.42 99th percentile | 78 | 431 | 4 | Low |
| #12 | 2025-06-20 | P | 327.4 99th percentile | 20.28 99th percentile | 61 | 287 | 1 | Low |
| #13 | 2025-09-28 | O | 325.5 99th percentile | 19.01 99th percentile | 70 | 334 | 1 | Medium |
| #14 | 2024-12-28 | V | 324.9 99th percentile | 20.29 99th percentile | 47 | 348 | 7 | Medium |
| #15 | 2025-03-05 | D | 320.6 99th percentile | 19.64 99th percentile | 59 | 309 | 3 | Medium |
| #16 | 2025-12-20 | G | 319.5 99th percentile | 17.91 98th percentile | 77 | 370 | 1 | Low |
| #17 | 2025-07-09 | T | 315.4 99th percentile | 18.51 99th percentile | 61 | 337 | 2 | Medium |
| #18 | 2023-04-07 | P | 315.0 99th percentile | 19.14 99th percentile | 53 | 309 | 2 | Medium |
| #19 | 2023-05-23 | B | 310.3 99th percentile | 18.17 99th percentile | 65 | 347 | 3 | Low |
| #20 | 2026-01-25 | P | 309.2 99th percentile | 18.00 99th percentile | 69 | 345 | 3 | Low |
| #21 | 2024-03-14 | T | 306.3 99th percentile | 17.61 98th percentile | 62 | 355 | 2 | Low |
| #22 | 2024-10-06 | G | 305.7 98th percentile | 17.85 98th percentile | 67 | 330 | 2 | Low |
| #23 | 2025-09-11 | C | 304.1 98th percentile | 18.33 99th percentile | 53 | 326 | 4 | Medium |
| #24 | 2025-07-20 | P | 298.9 98th percentile | 15.87 97th percentile | 72 | 418 | 3 | Low |
| #25 | 2026-01-10 | R | 296.8 98th percentile | 17.67 98th percentile | 57 | 320 | 3 | Low |
| #26 | 2023-12-31 | M | 294.9 98th percentile | 16.44 97th percentile | 73 | 361 | 3 | Low |
| #27 | 2023-01-07 | B | 294.3 98th percentile | 16.41 97th percentile | 71 | 343 | 1 | Low |
| #28 | 2024-08-31 | F | 293.1 98th percentile | 18.20 99th percentile | 50 | 300 | 5 | Low |
| #29 | 2026-04-19 | M | 292.9 98th percentile | 16.20 97th percentile | 68 | 363 | 2 | Low |
| #30 | 2026-08-07 | G | 292.1 98th percentile | 16.94 98th percentile | 50 | 314 | 1 | Medium |
| #31 | 2024-08-28 | O | 292.0 98th percentile | 17.84 98th percentile | 58 | 258 | 2 | Medium |
| #32 | 2025-08-16 | R | 290.5 98th percentile | 15.51 97th percentile | 71 | 388 | 2 | Low |
| #33 | 2025-02-09 | M | 288.2 98th percentile | 16.39 97th percentile | 71 | 321 | 2 | Low |
| #34 | 2023-10-27 | I | 286.2 98th percentile | 15.80 97th percentile | 64 | 391 | 5 | Low |
| #35 | 2023-04-16 | U | 282.5 98th percentile | 17.67 98th percentile | 54 | 251 | 3 | Low |
| #36 | 2026-05-19 | U | 282.4 97th percentile | 16.54 98th percentile | 62 | 299 | 2 | Low |
| #37 | 2025-06-29 | R | 282.3 97th percentile | 15.09 96th percentile | 64 | 362 | 1 | Medium |
| #38 | 2023-09-14 | W | 282.0 97th percentile | 17.81 98th percentile | 48 | 220 | 1 | Medium |
| #39 | 2024-11-21 | E | 280.8 97th percentile | 15.76 97th percentile | 63 | 310 | 1 | Medium |
| #40 | 2025-01-04 | I | 278.9 97th percentile | 17.19 98th percentile | 56 | 239 | 1 | Low |
| #41 | 2024-02-01 | U | 277.9 97th percentile | 17.23 98th percentile | 49 | 242 | 1 | Low |
| #42 | 2025-02-25 | U | 277.7 97th percentile | 17.14 98th percentile | 45 | 282 | 4 | Low |
| #43 | 2024-07-29 | C | 276.3 97th percentile | 15.54 97th percentile | 61 | 374 | 6 | Low |
| #44 | 2025-12-27 | U | 275.4 97th percentile | 16.29 97th percentile | 60 | 291 | 3 | Low |
| #45 | 2025-04-12 | B | 273.8 97th percentile | 15.57 97th percentile | 63 | 302 | 1 | Low |
| #46 | 2026-09-06 | B | 273.5 97th percentile | 15.29 97th percentile | 68 | 320 | 2 | Low |
| #47 | 2024-04-05 | C | 273.3 97th percentile | 13.56 95th percentile | 75 | 449 | 5 | Low |
| #48 | 2024-11-03 | L | 272.8 97th percentile | 14.75 96th percentile | 73 | 332 | 1 | Low |
| #49 | 2026-05-02 | G | 270.4 97th percentile | 15.16 97th percentile | 66 | 326 | 3 | Low |
| #50 | 2023-07-15 | V | 269.8 96th percentile | 13.74 95th percentile | 66 | 378 | 1 | Medium |
| #51 | 2023-08-25 | B | 268.8 96th percentile | 14.69 96th percentile | 59 | 367 | 4 | Low |
| #52 | 2023-06-10 | B | 268.2 96th percentile | 16.64 98th percentile | 49 | 250 | 3 | Low |
| #53 | 2024-09-08 | H | 266.6 96th percentile | 13.67 95th percentile | 66 | 389 | 3 | Medium |
| #54 | 2026-02-01 | B | 266.0 96th percentile | 12.61 92nd percentile | 80 | 427 | 2 | Low |
| #55 | 2025-10-16 | T | 265.4 96th percentile | 14.30 96th percentile | 66 | 316 | 1 | Medium |
| #56 | 2024-03-29 | V | 264.8 96th percentile | 16.68 98th percentile | 41 | 234 | 3 | Medium |
| #57 | 2025-04-16 | G | 264.5 96th percentile | 15.13 96th percentile | 60 | 285 | 1 | Low |
| #58 | 2024-05-16 | L | 264.3 96th percentile | 12.40 92nd percentile | 76 | 439 | 3 | Medium |
| #59 | 2026-10-06 | C | 263.0 96th percentile | 14.06 95th percentile | 62 | 340 | 1 | Low |
| #60 | 2025-09-03 | G | 262.7 96th percentile | 16.04 97th percentile | 55 | 250 | 3 | Low |
| #61 | 2026-06-28 | V | 260.8 96th percentile | 13.03 94th percentile | 67 | 397 | 3 | Medium |
| #62 | 2024-01-20 | B | 258.5 96th percentile | 14.12 95th percentile | 67 | 327 | 3 | Low |
| #63 | 2023-11-23 | C | 258.2 95th percentile | 12.29 91st percentile | 74 | 462 | 6 | Low |
| #64 | 2026-09-30 | P | 258.1 95th percentile | 14.23 95th percentile | 62 | 305 | 2 | Medium |
| #65 | 2024-12-07 | T | 255.8 95th percentile | 13.04 94th percentile | 68 | 346 | 1 | Medium |
| #66 | 2026-06-20 | R | 255.0 95th percentile | 14.46 96th percentile | 55 | 297 | 3 | Medium |
| #67 | 2025-10-02 | T | 254.4 95th percentile | 12.86 93rd percentile | 61 | 364 | 2 | Medium |
| #68 | 2023-05-04 | H | 253.7 95th percentile | 12.74 93rd percentile | 62 | 416 | 5 | Low |
| #69 | 2026-08-09 | H | 253.4 95th percentile | 12.95 93rd percentile | 77 | 346 | 2 | Low |
| #70 | 2025-07-31 | B | 253.0 95th percentile | 12.66 92nd percentile | 66 | 378 | 2 | Low |
| #71 | 2025-03-09 | M | 248.5 95th percentile | 12.68 93rd percentile | 72 | 345 | 2 | Low |
| #72 | 2025-02-23 | I | 248.4 95th percentile | 12.49 92nd percentile | 70 | 382 | 4 | Low |
| #73 | 2023-07-09 | C | 246.7 95th percentile | 13.71 95th percentile | 48 | 309 | 2 | Low |
| #74 | 2024-07-17 | U | 246.7 95th percentile | 14.64 96th percentile | 42 | 241 | 1 | Medium |
| #75 | 2023-05-28 | F | 246.7 95th percentile | 13.53 94th percentile | 56 | 329 | 4 | Low |
| #76 | 2023-10-24 | T | 246.2 95th percentile | 13.19 94th percentile | 66 | 302 | 1 | Low |
| #77 | 2026-08-02 | N | 246.1 94th percentile | 11.47 89th percentile | 74 | 406 | 2 | Low |
| #78 | 2025-08-24 | B | 245.9 94th percentile | 14.38 96th percentile | 49 | 306 | 6 | Low |
| #79 | 2026-07-18 | C | 244.9 94th percentile | 11.67 90th percentile | 73 | 389 | 2 | Low |
| #80 | 2023-01-14 | D | 244.7 94th percentile | 12.90 93rd percentile | 61 | 330 | 2 | Low |
| #81 | 2024-09-11 | R | 243.7 94th percentile | 14.69 96th percentile | 45 | 237 | 2 | Low |
| #82 | 2024-02-06 | F | 242.8 94th percentile | 14.68 96th percentile | 45 | 267 | 5 | Low |
| #83 | 2024-05-29 | G | 242.3 94th percentile | 13.06 94th percentile | 62 | 297 | 1 | Low |
| #84 | 2025-04-30 | D | 241.8 94th percentile | 12.50 92nd percentile | 64 | 334 | 2 | Low |
| #85 | 2025-05-23 | O | 239.8 94th percentile | 12.30 92nd percentile | 69 | 320 | 1 | Low |
| #86 | 2025-07-02 | C | 238.9 94th percentile | 14.06 95th percentile | 44 | 254 | 2 | Low |
| #87 | 2025-10-24 | P | 238.7 94th percentile | 11.72 90th percentile | 66 | 364 | 2 | Low |
| #88 | 2024-04-12 | G | 238.6 94th percentile | 14.07 95th percentile | 50 | 255 | 3 | Low |
| #89 | 2026-05-03 | C | 238.4 94th percentile | 11.15 88th percentile | 69 | 383 | 1 | Low |
| #90 | 2024-05-22 | V | 238.4 94th percentile | 12.98 93rd percentile | 50 | 332 | 5 | Medium |
| #91 | 2025-07-13 | A | 237.9 93rd percentile | 12.85 93rd percentile | 57 | 314 | 3 | Low |
| #92 | 2023-08-16 | M | 237.7 93rd percentile | 13.54 94th percentile | 60 | 236 | 1 | Medium |
| #93 | 2026-03-11 | N | 237.5 93rd percentile | 12.17 91st percentile | 71 | 301 | 1 | Medium |
| #94 | 2025-07-04 | C | 237.5 93rd percentile | 11.41 89th percentile | 61 | 404 | 4 | Low |
| #95 | 2025-06-04 | T | 236.6 93rd percentile | 12.74 93rd percentile | 61 | 299 | 2 | Low |
| #96 | 2024-05-08 | R | 236.1 93rd percentile | 14.06 95th percentile | 56 | 212 | 1 | Low |
| #97 | 2024-04-26 | A | 235.5 93rd percentile | 13.28 94th percentile | 58 | 253 | 1 | Low |
| #98 | 2026-01-07 | P | 235.0 93rd percentile | 13.04 94th percentile | 56 | 269 | 1 | Low |
| #99 | 2026-08-11 | N | 234.8 93rd percentile | 11.53 89th percentile | 70 | 350 | 2 | Low |
| #100 | 2025-08-29 | K | 234.7 93rd percentile | 14.80 96th percentile | 45 | 189 | 3 | Medium |
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
Patterns Behind the Ranked Set
How the ranked puzzles compare with the archive they came from. Values update automatically when new puzzles enter the archive.
Center Letters in the Top 100
- B×12
- C×10
- G×8
- P×7
- R×7
- T×7
- F×6
- M×6
- U×6
- V×6
- A×3
- D×3
- H×3
- I×3
- N×3
- O×3
- W×3
- L×2
- E×1
- K×1
How often each letter sat in the center of a ranked hive. Frequency alone does not make a letter a cause of difficulty.
Top 100 vs Archive
- Average word count
- 61.0vs 43.9 archive
- Average word length
- 5.80 lettersvs 5.41 letters archive
- Average pangram count
- 2.46vs 1.48 archive
Ranked-set averages against all 1,373 archived puzzles.
Tackling a Hard Puzzle
A brutal hive rewards structure over guessing. Work outward from the center letter, then open the spoiler-free hints to see word-length and starting-letter counts without seeing any answers. Test single candidates in the solver, and only open the date’s answer page when you are ready for the full solution list.
Quick Access Tools
The ranking tells you how hard a hive is. These tools help you beat it.