Published September 26, 2026 · Updated 3:00 AM EST

Spelling Bee Answers Today

Complete NYT Spelling Bee answers for September 26, 2026: all 30 words, 1 pangram, and 140 total points — updated at 3:00 AM EST.

Daily Answers September 26, 2026
O
C
H
I
M
R
U
Genius rank goal
98 Points

Today's Answers

30 Words
140 Points
98 Genius
1 Pangram
Hard ★★★★

Today has 30 words worth 140 points total. You need 98 points (70%) to reach Genius rank.

NYT Spelling Bee Answers

The NYT Spelling Bee for Saturday, September 26, 2026 puts O in the center, with C, H, I, M, R, U around it. There are 30 valid words.

These are the NYT-accepted answers for this hive. Every word includes O. Tap a word for a short definition.

← Yesterday
Today

Tap a hive letter to show words that start with it. Tap it again to clear. Every word includes O.

Your score 0 Beginner · 98 points to Genius 0 words

Tap a word to add it to your score. Tap the points for a short definition.

Pangrams

1

4-letter words

7

5-letter words

15

6-letter words

6

7-letter words

1

8-letter words

1

Today's Rankings

Enter your score to see your rank today. Genius is 98 points. Queen Bee is 140.

Genius · 42 points to Queen Bee
0 pts 0% of 140 pts 140 pts
Beginner
0 pts
Good Start
3 pts
Moving Up
7 pts
Good
11 pts
Solid
21 pts
Nice
35 pts
Great
56 pts
Amazing
70 pts
Genius
98 pts
Queen Bee
140 pts

Letter Distribution

How many words start with each letter. Tap a letter to mark those words in the list below.

Points by Word Length

Where today's 140 points sit. Tap a row to open that length in the answer list.

What Is the NYT Spelling Bee?

A daily word puzzle from The New York Times is none other than the NYT Spelling Bee. By using seven letters, you can make as many English words as you can. These letters appear in a honeycomb shape, and one letter is in the center. The center letter must be included in every word.

The puzzle refreshes every day at 3:00 AM ET. When a new puzzle appears, yesterday's answers disappear. That’s why many players search online for the previous day’s solutions. You earn points when you find more words, and the game shows different performance levels, such as:

  • Good Start
  • Nice
  • Solid
  • Great
  • Amazing
  • Genius
  • Queen Bee

Players can learn new words, compare scores and get better at the puzzle over time.

NYT Spelling Bee Answers Scoring System & Rank Levels

The NYT Spelling Bee has a points and ranking system that makes the game more exciting. It helps players set clear goals. You earn points and move through different ranks when you find words. These ranks include Beginner, Good Start, Moving Up, Good, Solid, Nice, Great, Amazing and finally Genius. Many players also check NYT Spelling Bee answers for today to track their progress and improve their game strategy.

To reach Genius level, it takes practice, careful thinking and finding long and tricky words. For the highest rank, Queen Bee, you have to find every single valid word in the puzzle. It is very hard and rare because many players never achieve it.

Pangrams are special words that use all seven letters in the puzzle. They give extra points – 7 points in addition to the word's normal length. If you find them, it is very helpful for getting high scores quickly. If you miss pangrams, it can be hard to reach the top ranks. The game also encourages you to try different letter combinations, look for patterns and improve your vocabulary. Over time, you start to recognize common letter groups and the puzzle becomes easier. Check the Complete pangram list for NYT Spelling Bee to see which ones you found and which are missing.

How Difficult Is Today's Puzzle?

Hard ★★★★☆
Center letter O
Vowels 3
Rare letters None
Words 30
Points 140
Pangram 1
Longest word 8

The NYT Spelling Bee for Saturday, September 26, 2026 puts O in the center, with C, H, I, M, R, U around it. It plays like a Hard puzzle. Today's letters do not include V, J, Q, Z, X or Y.

The NYT Spelling Bee gives a new puzzle every day at 3am Eastern Time. Players around the world can try it at the same time. This shared timing makes it a daily habit and many players like to start their mornings by solving the puzzle. You can play it on your phone, tablet or computer, which makes it easy to enjoy anywhere. Many players also search for NYT Spelling bee answers for today to check their progress and improve their skills.

The difficulty of each puzzle changes daily because it depends on the letters, not the calendar date. Some puzzles have plenty of vowels, which make it easy to create words. Others include rare letters like V, J, Q, Z or X. These letters make finding words much harder.

The center letter is especially important. Today's center letter is O. Common letters like A or E make the puzzle smooth, while unusual letters like V, J or Y can be very challenging. With time, players notice patterns in letter combinations and word structure. It helps them solve puzzles faster. The mix of easy and hard puzzles keeps the game interesting and encourages players to think creatively. You can also use our hints page to get clues without spoiling the full answer list.

Tips to Improve Your Today Score

Every word today includes O. Start combinations with O and the outer letters C, H, I, M, R, U.

1

Try the Puzzle first

Before checking NYT Spelling bee answers for today, always attempt the puzzle on your own. It helps your brain practice word patterns and improve your vocabulary naturally. Today's center letter is O.

2

Use Reliable Sources

You can check answers from trusted sources. Avoid unverified sites because they may show wrong words and confuse you.

3

Learn From Mistakes

Compare your answers with the correct list. It helps you understand which words you missed and why some guesses were rejected. This makes you stronger for future puzzles. On this hive, missed words still have to include O.

4

Manage Spoilers

If you want a challenge, avoid looking at answers too early. You can mute social media threads to prevent spoilers before you try the puzzle yourself. The length boxes above stay closed until you reveal them.

5

Use Answers as a Learning Tool

Use daily answers to study and expand your vocabulary. In this way you gain knowledge while enjoying the game. Tap a word in today's list for a short definition.

Winning Strategies and Tips

These steps use today's hive: center O, outer C, H, I, M, R, U.

0 of 9 done
  1. You should include the center letter O in every word. Start by making small combinations with it so you don't form invalid words.
  2. Write down or remember two or three letter combinations using the center letter O, then build longer words from them.
  3. Add endings like ing, able, ment, tion and beginnings like re, un, pre or inter to make more words.
  4. Try to find the pangram early. It uses all seven letters and helps you see patterns to find other words fast. Visit our today's pangram page if you need help.
  5. Pay attention to repeating letter combinations and familiar word structures to discover new words quickly.
  6. Shuffle the letters often to see new combinations you might have missed.
  7. Start with short words first to build momentum and score points quickly.
  8. Keep an eye on uncommon letters like Q, X, J or Z because they can form rare high-scoring words.
  9. Practice regularly to remember common letter patterns and word roots. Over time, solving becomes faster.

Conclusion

The NYT Spelling Bee is more than just a daily word game. It is a fun brain exercise that helps you learn new vocabulary and think more clearly. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, you can reach Genius or Queen Bee with practice and smart strategies. By checking Spelling Bee answers today, studying pangrams, and staying involved with the community, you can become a stronger solver over time and turn the puzzle into a helpful part of your daily routine. You can also use our free Spelling Bee Solver to find any word instantly.

FAQs

Explore More Tools

Master the Spelling Bee with our full suite of tools designed to help you reach Genius rank faster.