The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

CDENOUK

Friday, August 29, 2025

Words
45
Points
189
Genius
132
Pangrams
3

Official answers

Show the 45 answersHide answers

Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • cock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • cocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • coke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • conk

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • conked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • cooked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cuckoo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cuckooed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cuke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • deck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • decked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • deke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • deked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • dock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • docked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • duck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • ducked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • duke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • duked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dunk

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dunked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • eked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • keen

    adjective — Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.

    adjective — Having a fine edge or point; sharp.

    adjective — Acute of mind, having or expressing mental acuteness; penetrating, sharp.

    adjective — Of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.

    adjective — Fierce, intense, vehement.

    adjective — Of prices, extremely low as to be competitive.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • keened

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • kendo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • keno

    noun — A gambling game, a variety of the game of lotto, played with balls or knobs, numbered, and cards also numbered.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • knee

    noun — In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.

    noun — The part of a garment that covers the knee.

    noun — An act of kneeling, especially to show respect or courtesy.

    verb — To poke or strike with the knee.

    verb — To move on the knees; to use the knees to move.

    noun — A blow made with the knee; a kneeing.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • kneed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • knock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • knocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • kook

    noun — An eccentric, strange or crazy person.

    noun — (kiteboarding, wakeboarding) A boardsport participant who lacks style or skill; a newbie who acts as if they are better at the sport than they are.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • kudu

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • neck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • necked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • nock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • nocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • nook

    noun — A small corner formed by two walls; an alcove.

    verb — To withdraw into a nook.

    noun — A hidden or secluded spot; a secluded retreat.

    noun — A recess, cove or hollow.

    noun — An English unit of land area, originally 1/4 of a yardland but later 12 1/2 or 20 acres.

    noun — A corner of a piece of land; an angled piece of land, especially one extending into other land.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • nuke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • nuked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • uncock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • uncocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • uncooked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • undock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • undocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • co×7
  • cu×3
  • de×4
  • do×2
  • du×6
  • ek×1
  • ke×4
  • kn×4
  • ko×1
  • ku×1
  • ne×2
  • no×3
  • nu×2
  • un×5

Words by first letter and length

45678Σ
c 5·4·1 10
d 624·· 12
e 1···· 1
k 5311· 10
n 412·· 7
u ··2·3 5
Σ 2161314 45

The numbers

Genius today takes 132 points of 189 available. The average answer runs 5.1 letters.

Total points vs. all 390 recorded puzzles
43rd percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
48th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17622 recorded answers

421 today34.6% all-time56 today22.8% all-time613 today19.9% all-time71 today12.1% all-time84 today6.3% all-time92.6% 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 Thursday, August 28, 2025 Thursday, August 28, 2025
d Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Monday, August 11, 2025
e Thursday, August 28, 2025 Sunday, August 3, 2025
k ● Wednesday, August 20, 2025 first recorded time
n Thursday, August 28, 2025 Friday, August 15, 2025
o Thursday, August 28, 2025 Tuesday, August 19, 2025
u Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 42
  2. onion 30
  3. naan 30
  4. nana 30
  5. toot 28
  6. loll 28
  7. mama 25
  8. mamma 25
  9. cocoon 23
  10. acacia 23
  11. acai 23
  12. loon 23
  13. nene 23
  14. olio 23
  15. bill 22
  16. neon 22
  17. none 22
  18. lilt 21
  19. till 21
  20. tilt 21
  21. aria 21
  22. onto 21
  23. toon 21
  24. cancan 21
  25. canna 21

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.