The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ANORTUG

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Words
55
Points
250
Genius
175
Pangrams
3

Official answers

Show the 55 answersHide answers

Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • agar

    noun — A gelatinous material obtained from red algae, especially Gracilaria species, used as a bacterial culture medium, in electrophoresis and as a food additive.

    noun — A culture medium based on this material.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • agog

    adjective — In eager desire, eager, astir.

    adverb — In a state of high anticipation, excitement, or interest.

    adjective — (chiefly of eyes) Wide open.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • agora

    noun — A place for gathering.

    noun — Since 1960, a monetary unit and coin of Israel, the 100th part of a shekel / sheqel.

    noun — A marketplace, especially in Classical Greece.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • angora

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • argon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • argonaut

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • argot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • arrogant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • augur

    noun — A diviner who foretells events by the behaviour of birds or other animals, or by signs derived from celestial phenomena, or unusual occurrences.

    verb — To foretell events; to exhibit signs of future events.

    noun — An official who interpreted omens before the start of public events.

    verb — To anticipate, to foretell, or to indicate a favorable or an unfavorable issue.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • gaga

    adjective — Mentally senile.

    noun — A variant of dodgeball played inside a fenced area, usually a hexagon or octagon.

    adjective — Crazy.

    adjective — Infatuated.

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • gang

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 12 recorded puzzles.

  • gargantuan

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • gator

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • gaunt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • gnat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • goat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • gong

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • gonna

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • goon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • gorgon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • gotta

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • gout

    noun — An extremely painful inflammation of joints, especially of the big toe, caused by a metabolic defect resulting in the accumulation of uric acid in the blood and the deposition of urates around the joints.

    verb — To spurt.

    noun — Taste; relish

    noun — (usually followed by of) A spurt or splotch.

    noun — A disease of wheat and cornstalks, caused by insect larvae.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • gran

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • grant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • grantor

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • groan

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • groat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • grog

    noun — (original meaning) An alcoholic beverage made with rum and water, especially that once issued to sailors of the Royal Navy.

    noun — (by extension) Any alcoholic beverage.

    noun — A glass or serving of an alcoholic beverage.

    noun — An alcoholic beverage made with hot water or tea, sugar and rum, sometimes also with lemon or lime juice and spices, particularly cinnamon.

    noun — A type of pre-fired clay that has been ground and screened to a specific particle size.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • grotto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • grout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • grunt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • guano

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • guar

    noun — An annual legume (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), used as a food for cattle and humans.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • guarantor

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • guru

    noun — A Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher.

    noun — (sometimes humorous) An influential advisor or mentor.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • nonagon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • nougat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • orang

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • orangutan

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • organ

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • outgo

    noun — The act or process of going out.

    verb — To go out, to set forth.

    noun — A quantity of a substance or thing that has flowed out; an outflow.

    noun — An expenditure, cost or outlay.

    verb — To go further; to exceed or surpass; go beyond.

    verb — To overtake; to travel faster than.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • outgun

    verb — To defeat in terms of firepower.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • raga

    noun — Any of various melodic forms used in Indian classical music, or a piece of music composed in such a form.

    noun — Passion, love, lust.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • ragout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • ragtag

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • ragu

    noun — An Italian pasta sauce containing ground meat cooked with sautéed vegetables in tomato sauce or some other kind of liquid.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rang

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • rotgut

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rung

    noun — A crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round.

    verb — Of a bell, etc., to produce a resonant sound.

    adjective — Of a pig: having a ring through the nose.

    noun — A crosspiece between legs of a chair.

    noun — A position in a hierarchy.

    noun — A floor timber in a ship.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • tang

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • tango

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tarragon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • toga

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • tong

    noun — An instrument or tool used for manipulating things in a fire without touching them with the hands.

    verb — To use tongs.

    noun — A Chinese secret society or gang.

    noun — The flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is used to move food around, for tasting and that is moved into various positions to modify the flow of air from the lungs in order to produce different sounds in speech.

    verb — To grab, manipulate or transport something using tongs.

    noun — This organ, as taken from animals used for food (especially cows).−

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • untag

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ag×3
  • an×1
  • ar×4
  • au×1
  • ga×5
  • gn×1
  • go×7
  • gr×9
  • gu×4
  • no×2
  • or×3
  • ou×2
  • ra×5
  • ro×1
  • ru×1
  • ta×3
  • to×2
  • un×1

Words by first letter and length

45678910Σ
a 241·2·· 9
g 111021·11 26
n ··11··· 2
o ·31··1· 5
r 4·3···· 7
t 31··1·· 5
u ·1····· 1
Σ 201982321 55

The numbers

Genius today takes 175 points of 250 available. The average answer runs 5.3 letters.

Total points vs. all 418 recorded puzzles
70th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
72nd percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18877 recorded answers

420 today34.5% all-time519 today23.0% all-time68 today20.0% all-time72 today12.0% all-time83 today6.3% all-time92 today2.6% all-time101 today1.3% 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, September 1, 2025 Saturday, August 30, 2025
g ● Saturday, August 30, 2025 Sunday, August 10, 2025
n Monday, September 1, 2025 Friday, August 15, 2025
o Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Tuesday, August 19, 2025
r Sunday, August 31, 2025 Saturday, August 16, 2025
t Monday, September 1, 2025 Monday, August 25, 2025
u Sunday, August 31, 2025 Tuesday, August 12, 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.