The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

FIMNORC

Friday, August 22, 2025

Words
34
Points
177
Genius
123
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 34 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • cirri

    noun — A tendril.

    noun — A thin tendril-like appendage.

    noun — A principal high-level cloud type characterised by white, delicate filaments or wisps, of white (or mostly white) patches, or of narrow bands, found at an altitude of above 7000 metres.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • cocci

    noun — Any approximately spherical bacterium.

    noun — Coccidioidomycosis

    noun — One of the carpels or seed-vessels of a dry fruit.

    Appeared in 20 recorded puzzles.

  • cocoon

    noun — The silky protective case spun by the larvae of some insects in which they metamorphose, the pupa.

    verb — To envelop in a protective case

    noun — Any similar protective case, whether real or metaphorical.

    verb — To withdraw into such a case.

    Appeared in 24 recorded puzzles.

  • coffin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • coif

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • coin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • coir

    noun — The fibre obtained from the husk of a coconut, used chiefly in making rope, matting and as a peat substitute.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • comic

    noun — A comedian.

    adjective — Funny; amusing; comical.

    noun — A story composed of cartoon images arranged in sequence, usually with textual captions; a graphic novel.

    noun — A children's newspaper.

    adjective — Relating to comedy.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • common

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • confirm

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • conform

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • conic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • corn

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • croc

    noun — A crocodile.

    noun — A plastic slip-on shoe.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • croci

    noun — A perennial flowering plant (of the genus Crocus in the Iridaceae family). Saffron is obtained from the stamens of Crocus sativus.

    noun — Any of various similar flowering plants, such as the autumn crocus and prairie crocus.

    noun — A deep yellow powder, the oxide of some metal (especially iron), calcined to a red or deep yellow colour.

    noun — A fraudulent doctor; a quack.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • croon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • foci

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • formic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • icon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • iconic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • ionic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • ironic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • micro

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • microform

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • micromini

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • micron

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • mimic

    noun — A person who practices mimicry, or mime.

    verb — To imitate, especially in order to ridicule.

    adjective — Pertaining to mimicry; imitative.

    noun — An imitation.

    verb — To take on the appearance of another, for protection or camouflage.

    adjective — Mock, pretended.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • morocco

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • moronic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • noncom

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • omicron

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • ricin

    noun — An extremely toxic protein extracted from the castor bean.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • rococo

    noun — A style of baroque architecture and decorative art, from 18th-century France, having elaborate ornamentation.

    adjective — Of or relating to the rococo style.

    adjective — Over-elaborate or complicated; opulent.

    adjective — Old-fashioned.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • romcom

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

confirm is a perfect pangram — all seven letters, each used exactly once.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ci×1
  • co×12
  • cr×3
  • fo×2
  • ic×2
  • io×1
  • ir×1
  • mi×5
  • mo×2
  • no×1
  • om×1
  • ri×1
  • ro×2

Words by first letter and length

45679Σ
c 5632· 16
f 1·1·· 2
i 112·· 4
m ·2122 7
n ··1·· 1
o ···1· 1
r ·12·· 3
Σ 7101052 34

The numbers

Genius today takes 123 points of 177 available. The average answer runs 5.6 letters.

Total points vs. all 419 recorded puzzles
38th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
24th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18933 recorded answers

47 today34.4% all-time510 today23.0% all-time610 today20.0% all-time75 today12.0% all-time86.3% all-time92 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
c ● Sunday, August 17, 2025 Sunday, August 17, 2025
f Monday, August 18, 2025 first recorded time
i Thursday, August 21, 2025 Monday, August 18, 2025
m Thursday, August 21, 2025 Friday, July 25, 2025
n Thursday, August 21, 2025 Friday, August 15, 2025
o Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Tuesday, August 19, 2025
r Saturday, August 16, 2025 Saturday, August 16, 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. acacia 25
  10. acai 25
  11. nene 25
  12. cocoon 24
  13. loon 24
  14. olio 24
  15. aria 23
  16. imam 23
  17. maim 23
  18. cancan 23
  19. canna 23
  20. mini 23
  21. minim 23
  22. neon 23
  23. none 23
  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.