The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ACHORTU

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Words
36
Points
171
Genius
119
Pangrams
2

Official answers

Show the 36 answersHide answers

Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • actuator

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • aura

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • aurora

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • author

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • auto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • autocrat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • church

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • churro

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • coauthor

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • couch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • court

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • couth

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • crouch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • crutch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • curacao

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • curator

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • curt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cutout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cutthroat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • hour

    noun — A time period of sixty minutes; one twenty-fourth of a day.

    noun — A season, moment, or time.

    noun — The time.

    noun — (in the plural) Used after a two-digit hour and a two-digit minute to indicate time.

    noun — (in the plural) The set times of prayer, the canonical hours, the offices or services prescribed for these, or a book containing them.

    noun — A distance that can be traveled in one hour.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • hurrah

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • hurt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • hutch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • occur

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • ouch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • outro

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • taut

    adjective — Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.

    adjective — (of a body, muscles, etc.) Not flabby; firm, toned; (of a person) having a lean, strong body.

    adjective — (of music, writing, etc.) Containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled.

    adjective — (of a sailor, a ship, etc.) Neat and well-disciplined; (by extension) efficient and in order.

    adjective — Experiencing anxiety or stress.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • thou

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • touch

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tour

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • tout

    noun — Someone advertising for customers in an aggressive way.

    verb — To flaunt, to publicize/publicise; to boast or brag; to promote.

    noun — In the game of solo, a proposal to win all eight tricks.

    noun — A person, at a racecourse, who offers supposedly inside information on which horse is likely to win.

    noun — A spy for a smuggler, thief, or similar.

    noun — An informer in the Irish Republican Army.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • trout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • truth

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tutor

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • tutu

    noun — A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.

    noun — Any of the genus Coriaria of shrubs and trees found in New Zealand.

    Appeared in 15 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ac×1
  • au×5
  • ch×2
  • co×4
  • cr×2
  • cu×5
  • ho×1
  • hu×3
  • oc×1
  • ou×2
  • ro×1
  • ta×1
  • th×1
  • to×3
  • tr×2
  • tu×2

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
a 2·2·2· 6
c 135211 13
h 211··· 4
o 12···· 3
r 1····· 1
t 54···· 9
Σ 12108231 36

The numbers

Genius today takes 119 points of 171 available. The average answer runs 5.4 letters.

Total points vs. all 418 recorded puzzles
34th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
27th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18877 recorded answers

412 today34.5% all-time510 today23.0% all-time68 today20.0% all-time72 today12.0% all-time83 today6.3% all-time91 today2.6% all-time101.3% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Monday, August 11, 2025 Saturday, July 19, 2025
c Thursday, August 7, 2025 Wednesday, July 30, 2025
h Monday, August 11, 2025 Tuesday, July 22, 2025
o Monday, August 11, 2025 Thursday, August 7, 2025
r Saturday, August 2, 2025 Monday, July 21, 2025
t Sunday, August 10, 2025 Friday, August 8, 2025
u ● Tuesday, August 5, 2025 Monday, August 4, 2025

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 44
  2. naan 33
  3. nana 33
  4. onion 31
  5. toot 30
  6. loll 29
  7. mama 27
  8. mamma 27
  9. nene 25
  10. cocoon 24
  11. acacia 24
  12. acai 24
  13. loon 24
  14. olio 24
  15. imam 23
  16. maim 23
  17. cancan 23
  18. canna 23
  19. mini 23
  20. minim 23
  21. neon 23
  22. none 23
  23. aria 22
  24. mitt 22
  25. onto 22

Valid words the Bee rejected

Dictionary words the Bee never takes

Legitimate words (per the ENABLE list) that fit the letters but aren't official answers — usually judged too obscure.