Spelling Bee Hints, Answers For 20-January-2026

Today’s Pangrams:

Today’s Spelling Bee Answers:

🐝 How to Play the Spelling Bee Puzzle

• The puzzle features a honeycomb-shaped grid with seven letters, including a center letter highlighted in yellow.
• Your goal is to create as many valid English words as possible using the given letters.
• The center letter must be included in every word you form.
• Letters can be used more than once and arranged in any order.
• Each word must be at least four letters long — shorter words don’t count.
• Proper nouns, abbreviations, and offensive words aren't accepted.
• All valid words are usually common English terms, according to the NYT.
• You earn points based on word length, with longer words giving you more points.
• Each day’s puzzle includes at least one pangram (a word that uses all seven letters).
• Pangrams are worth seven bonus points, plus the regular points for the word's length. Some puzzles may include multiple pangrams.

Smart Tips for Solving the Spelling Bee Puzzle

• Start with the obvious. Look for common prefixes and suffixes (like re-, un-, -ing,—ed) to quickly build easy 4 to 6-letter words.
• Focus on the center letter. Since every word must include the central letter, try writing down words that start or end with it to spark ideas.
• Look for the pangram early. Pangrams are worth extra points and can help unlock longer, hidden words. Try rearranging all seven letters to spot potential pangram combinations.
• Add letters to known words. Take a short, valid word and test if you can extend it with available letters (e.g., run → rung → grunge).
• Use letter repetition. You can reuse letters multiple times, so don’t be afraid to test out repeating ones like e, l, or t when they appear.
• Think of plural-sounding words that aren’t plurals. Since the letter S is excluded, challenge yourself to think beyond plurals and find singular alternatives.
• Change your perspective. If you get stuck, take a short break or say the letters out loud. A fresh angle often sparks new word ideas.
• Build words by themes. Try thinking in categories, such as body parts, emotions, kitchen items, verbs, etc. This helps trigger related vocabulary.
• Keep track of word endings. Many words end in -er, -ing, or -ly, so build off those patterns.
• Practice regularly. The more you play, the better you recognize patterns, prefixes, and rare pangrams.

See Also

• Tomorrow's NYT Spelling Bee: Hints and answers
• Yesterday's NYT Spelling Bee: Hints and answers
• Today's NYT Strands: Hints and answers
• Today's NYT Connections: Hints and answers
• Today's NYT Wordle: Hints and answers
• Today's NYT Mini Crossword: Hints and answers
• Ready for another round? Explore our Quizzes hub