Good Spelling Bee tips start with finding the pangram, the word that uses all seven letters, because it scores the most. Then add common endings such as -ING, -ED and -ER to words you already have, try every letter as a starting letter, and remember that letters can be reused, so words like TEETH and NOON count.
This guide is about the daily honeycomb word puzzle, such as the New York Times Spelling Bee, not a spoken spelling competition. If you are preparing a child for a classroom spelling bee, the tips at the end are for you.
How the honeycomb puzzle works
- You get seven letters: one in the centre and six around it.
- Every word must be at least four letters long and must use the centre letter.
- Letters can be used more than once in a word.
- Hyphenated words, proper nouns and very obscure or offensive words are not accepted.
Scoring: four-letter words score 1 point. Longer words score 1 point per letter. A pangram, which uses every letter at least once, earns a 7-point bonus on top. Every puzzle has at least one pangram, and your score moves you up through ranks to Genius; finding every word is known among players as Queen Bee.
How to find the pangram
- Look for an ending. If the letters include I, N and G, the pangram very often ends in -ING. E and D suggest -ED; E and R suggest -ER; T, I, O and N suggest -TION.
- Use the awkward letters first. Letters like V, K, Y or a second vowel-free consonant have to go somewhere. Build around them.
- Try prefixes. RE-, UN-, IN- and DE- are common pangram starts.
- Remember repeats. The pangram can be longer than seven letters because letters repeat.
Letters: centre C, outer A P T I O N
T, I, O and N point to -TION. Put C, A and P in front: CAPTION, a seven-letter pangram. Because letters can repeat, ANTICIPATION is a pangram too, worth 12 points plus the 7-point bonus.
See all the words for these letters in the spelling bee solver (centre letter first).
Tips for finding more words
Grow words you already have
Each word you find is a starting point. Add -S if S is available (some puzzles leave S out on purpose), -ED, -ING, -ER or -Y, and look for words inside your pangram.
Work through each starting letter
Go letter by letter: every word that starts with A, then every word that starts with C, and so on. This stops you missing whole groups of words.
Use doubled letters
Because letters repeat, words such as NOON, TOOT, TEETH and PAPA are fair game. Try doubling the vowels and the common consonants.
Shuffle the honeycomb
Most versions let you shuffle the outer letters. A new arrangement helps your brain see new combinations, just as writing letters in a circle helps with anagrams.
Take a break
Coming back after an hour often brings a run of new words. Many players work on the puzzle in short bursts throughout the day.
Useful word endings to look for
Most long words in a honeycomb puzzle are built from a short root plus an ending. Check which of these your letters allow:
- -ING needs I, N and G, and turns almost any verb into a long word.
- -ED and -ER need only E plus one consonant, so they appear in many puzzles.
- -TION needs T, I, O and N, and often hides the pangram.
- -LY, -ITY and -ABLE add length to adjectives and nouns.
- -ANCE, -ENCE and -MENT turn up less often but score well when they do.
When the hive has only one or two vowels, look for words where those vowels repeat, such as words with a doubled O or E.
Using a solver without spoiling it
If you want help but not the whole answer list, try this order with the spelling bee solver:
- Look only at how many words there are of each length.
- Look only at the pangram.
- Finally, open the full list to see what you missed and learn from it.
Keep Common words only switched on, because daily puzzles tend to accept everyday words. Our word list is not the puzzle’s official list, so a few words may differ either way.
Tips for a classroom spelling bee
For a spoken spelling competition, learn words in small groups, say each letter aloud as you write it, and practise the common traps: double letters (accommodate, embarrass), silent letters (knight, rhythm) and -ible/-able endings. Asking for the definition or a sentence is allowed in most competitions and can help you choose between similar spellings. The syllable counter is handy for splitting long words into chunks to learn.
Questions and answers
What is a pangram in Spelling Bee?
A pangram is a word that uses all seven letters at least once. It scores 1 point per letter plus a 7-point bonus, and every puzzle has at least one.
How is Spelling Bee scored?
Four-letter words score 1 point, longer words score 1 point per letter, and pangrams get an extra 7 points.
Can I use a letter more than once?
Yes. Any letter can be used as often as you like, as long as the word includes the centre letter and is at least four letters long.
What is Queen Bee?
Queen Bee is the name players use for finding every word in the day’s puzzle, beyond the Genius rank.
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Spelling Bee and Wordle are trademarks of The New York Times Company. Unscramble Words 4U is an independent site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by The New York Times Company. Our word list is not the puzzle’s official answer list.