How to Play the NYT Spelling Bee
Make words from the seven-letter hive. Every answer needs the center letter and at least four letters. Choose letters, submit a word, and let the score feedback guide the next guess.
Today's Hive
Oct 7, 2026- 53Possible Words
- 202Total Points
- 141Genius Target (70%)
- 1Pangrams
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What You Need Before You Start
The puzzle shows seven letters: one required center letter and six outer letters. You may reuse any hive letter, but you cannot use a letter that is not on the board. A word must run at least four letters long and appear in the puzzle's answer list. That is the whole setup; the steps below put it to work.
How to Play Step by Step
Seven moves, in order. You only need the first three to finish a word; the rest turn a guess into a solve.
Read the Hive
Find the center letter and note the six outer letters around it. Every accepted word must contain the center letter, so let it anchor every guess. When you want the formal version, the rules and scoring page lays it out.
Make a Candidate Word
Select or type letters to build a word of four or more letters. Reuse letters whenever a word needs them, but never reach for a letter outside the hive.
Submit and Check the Feedback
Submit the word. If the game accepts it, it lands on your found list and its points count toward your rank. If it is rejected, check the center-letter rule, the letter set, the length minimum, and remember the answer list is curated. See common problems below.
Build Your Word List
Try new combinations, lengths, and word families. Your found list doubles as a map of what you have already covered, so steer toward letter pairs and lengths you have not explored.
Look for a Pangram
A pangram uses all seven hive letters at least once and earns a seven-point bonus on top of its normal score. A word may repeat letters and still be a pangram. Browse the pangram archive to see how often they appear.
Follow Your Score
Four-letter words earn one point; words of five or more letters earn one point per letter. Ranks climb as you bank more of the puzzle's total points, with Genius at roughly 70 percent. Today's puzzle offers 202 points, so Genius sits near 141. The full rank ladder shows every target.
Choose Whether to Use Hints
If you want a clue without opening solution words, use this site's spoiler-free hints. NYT's Spelling Bee Buddy is a separate, NYT-branded personalized hint tool; this site's helpers are independent and are not that product.
Rules at a Glance
The five rules that decide every submission. For the scoring table, edge cases, and the print-versus-digital differences, see Spelling Bee Rules.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Seven hive letters | Use only the center letter and six outer letters shown for the puzzle. |
| Center letter | Every accepted word must contain it at least once. |
| Minimum length | Words must contain four or more letters. |
| Reuse | Hive letters can be used more than once in a word. |
| Curated answer list | The puzzle's word list decides whether a candidate counts. |
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
Common Problems
Three rejections beginners hit most, and what to check first.
Word Was Rejected
Check the center letter, the four-letter minimum, and that every letter belongs to the hive. If all three pass, the word may simply be absent from that day's editor-curated answer list.
Form Not Accepted
Do not assume every plural, tense, or word-family variation makes the list. Check each form in the game rather than treating related words as guaranteed.
Out of New Words
Shuffle the outer letters, revisit a shorter word pattern, or open the spoiler-free hints to see which starting-letter and length groups still have words.
Keep Going
The basics get you playing; these pages take it further.
- Rules & ScoringThe full rulebook, scoring table, and rank ladder.
- StrategiesA repeatable eight-step routine for finding more words.
- GlossaryDefinitions for every game and solver term.
- Spoiler-Free HintsClue counts and letter patterns with zero answer reveals.
- Answers ArchiveReview a finished puzzle word by word.
Quick Access Tools
Ready to apply it? The solver checks candidates, the hints page nudges without spoilers, and unlimited mode deals fresh hives for practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I repeat letters in a word?
Yes. A letter may be reused as often as needed, as long as it belongs to the hive and the word includes the center letter.
How are points scored?
Four-letter words are worth one point. Longer words earn one point per letter. Pangrams earn seven additional points on top of their length score.
What is a pangram?
A pangram is a word that uses all seven hive letters at least once. A perfect pangram uses each of the seven letters exactly once.
How do I reach Genius?
Genius is commonly reached at about 70 percent of a puzzle's possible points. The exact target changes with the puzzle, so check the score display for the day you are playing.
Is Queen Bee an official rank?
Genius is the highest regular rank in the NYT score progression. Solvers use Queen Bee for finding every accepted word; NYT coverage describes it as an Easter egg beyond the regular ladder.
Can I play past Spelling Bee puzzles?
Yes. The answers archive on this site lists previous puzzles with their accepted words and stats, so you can review an earlier hive or study one you missed.