NYT Spelling Bee Rules and Scoring
Seven letters in a hive, one required center letter, words of four or more letters. Here is the complete rulebook, the scoring table, and every rank on the way to Genius.
Today's Hive
Oct 7, 2026- 53Possible Words
- 202Total Points
- 141Genius Target (70%)
- 1Pangrams
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The Basic Rules
Every answer must contain the center letter, be at least four letters long, and use only the seven letters in the hive. Letters can repeat, and the puzzle's curated word list decides which words count.
- Use only the seven letters shown in the puzzle.
- Include the center letter in every word.
- Make words of at least four letters.
- Reuse letters as often as a word needs them.
- The puzzle's curated word list decides what counts.
Use only the hive letters
Every letter in a valid word must come from the seven-letter hive. A letter may repeat as many times as the word needs, even if it appears only once in the hive.
Always include the center letter
The center letter is required in every answer. A word built only from the six outer letters is rejected, no matter how long it is.
Make words of four or more letters
Words shorter than four letters never count. The shortest valid word is four letters, and it earns a single point.
The word list is curated
Editors choose the accepted answers, so a real dictionary word can still be left out. Proper nouns, hyphenated words, and obscure or offensive terms are commonly excluded.
Not sure whether a word qualifies? Run it through the Word Finder or test it as a candidate in the Solver.
How Scoring Works
Longer words earn more, and pangrams earn a bonus on top of their length score.
| Word type | Points |
|---|---|
| Four-letter word | 1 point |
| Word of five or more letters | 1 point per letter |
| Pangram (all seven letters) | Word score + 7 bonus points |
Swipe sideways to see all columns.
A pangram uses all seven hive letters at least once. Because letters may repeat, a pangram can run longer than seven letters. A perfect pangram is exactly seven letters and uses each hive letter once. Today's puzzle has 1 pangram. Worked example: a six-letter word scores 6 points, and a six-letter pangram scores 13.
Ranks and Score Targets
Points move you up a rank ladder as you find more of a puzzle's total score. The NYT's player guide puts Genius at roughly 70 percent of the possible points, and the exact target changes with each puzzle. Today's hive (Oct 7, 2026) holds 53 words worth 202 points, so each row below shows that puzzle's target. The same thresholds appear on the spoiler-free hints and answers pages.
- 0%Beginner0 PTS
- 5%Good Start10 PTS
- 15%Moving Up30 PTS
- 25%Good51 PTS
- 40%Solid81 PTS
- 50%Nice101 PTS
- 60%Great121 PTS
- 65%Amazing131 PTS
- 70%Genius141 PTS
- 100%Queen Bee202 PTS
Queen Bee is the solver term for finding every accepted word in a puzzle. NYT coverage describes it as an Easter egg beyond the regular ladder rather than a standard rank, so Genius remains the last official label.
Good to Know
Letter S and Plurals
Don't assume S is banned forever. The NYT kept S out of the hive for years because it multiplies easy plural forms, then ran a special S puzzle in March 2025. Each puzzle's seven letters and curated list always decide what counts.
Digital vs Print
These rules describe the digital NYT Spelling Bee that runs in the app and on the web. The puzzle printed in the New York Times Magazine is a separate edition: the NYT Help Center notes it uses a different letter set and scoring system, so don't carry this scoring over to a print puzzle.
Daily Release & Archive
The NYT lists a daily release time of 3 a.m. Eastern Time. Missed a day? Browse the answers archive for past puzzles with full stats, or play fresh unlimited puzzles any time.
Put the Rules to Work
Rules become instinct with reps. Check today's rank targets on the spoiler-free hints page, sharpen your technique with our strategy guide, and review yesterday's accepted words in the answers archive. When the daily puzzle runs out, unlimited mode deals fresh hives any time.
Quick Access Tools
The rules tell you what counts. These tools help you find it. For deeper reading, see the strategies guide, the pangram archive, and the full answers archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reuse a letter in the same word?
Yes. A letter can be used more than once in a word, as long as every letter comes from the seven-letter hive and the word contains the center letter.
Does every word need the center letter?
Yes. The center letter must appear at least once in every accepted word. Words built only from the six outer letters never count.
How many points is a pangram worth?
A pangram earns its normal length score plus a seven-point bonus. A seven-letter pangram is worth 14 points.
Are all English dictionary words accepted?
No. The NYT uses an editor-curated answer list. A word can appear in a general dictionary and still be rejected for a specific puzzle.
Is Queen Bee an official rank?
Queen Bee is the community term for finding every accepted word in a puzzle. NYT coverage describes it as an Easter egg beyond the regular rank ladder, which tops out at Genius.
Why is my word not accepted?
The usual causes: the word skips the center letter, runs under four letters, uses a letter outside the hive, or sits outside the puzzle's curated answer list. Proper nouns, hyphenated forms, and very obscure or offensive words are routinely excluded even when a dictionary lists them.