The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

FGIRTYA

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Words
50
Points
204
Genius
142
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 50 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • afar

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • affair

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • affray

    noun — The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.

    verb — To startle from quiet; to alarm.

    noun — A tumultuous assault or quarrel.

    noun — The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.

    noun — Terror.

    verb — To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • 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.

  • agita

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • airy

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • aria

    noun — A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • array

    noun — Clothing and ornamentation.

    verb — To clothe and ornament; to adorn or attire.

    noun — A collection laid out to be viewed in full.

    noun — An orderly series, arrangement or sequence.

    noun — Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle.

    noun — A large collection.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • arty

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • atria

    noun — A central room or space in ancient Roman homes, open to the sky in the middle; a similar space in other buildings.

    noun — A square hall lit by daylight from above, into which rooms open at one or more levels.

    noun — A cavity, entrance, or passage.

    noun — Any enclosed sexine and nexine layers, widening toward the interior of the grain.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • attar

    noun — An essential oil extracted from flowers.

    noun — A perfume made from this oil.

    Appeared in 15 recorded puzzles.

  • fair

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • fairy

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • fart

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • fatty

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • fiat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • frag

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • frat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • fratty

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • fray

    verb — To (cause to) unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.

    noun — A fight or argument

    verb — To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).

    verb — Frighten; alarm

    verb — To bear the expense of; to defray.

    verb — To rub.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • friar

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • friary

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • frittata

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • gaff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 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.

  • gait

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • graffiti

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • graft

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • gratify

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • gray

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • raffia

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • raft

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 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.

  • ragtag

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • raita

    noun — A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • rarity

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • ratatat

    noun — A swiftly repeated knocking sound.

    Appeared in 15 recorded puzzles.

  • ratify

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • ratty

    adjective — Similar to a rat; ratlike.

    adjective — Infested with rats.

    adjective — In poor condition or repair

    adjective — Irritable, annoyed, bad-tempered.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • riffraff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • taffy

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • taiga

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • tariff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tarry

    noun — A sojourn.

    verb — To delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or doing anything.

    adjective — Resembling tar.

    verb — To linger in expectation of something or until something is done or happens.

    verb — To abide, stay or wait somewhere, especially if longer than planned.

    verb — To stay somewhere temporarily.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • tart

    adjective — Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.

    noun — A type of small open pie, or piece of pastry, containing jelly or conserve; a sort of fruit pie.

    noun — A prostitute.

    verb — To practice prostitution

    adjective — (of wine) high or too high in acidity.

    adjective — Sharp; keen; severe.

    Appeared in 15 recorded puzzles.

  • tartar

    noun — A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate - a source of cream of tartar.

    noun — A fearsome or angrily violent person.

    noun — A hard yellow deposit on the teeth.

    Appeared in 15 recorded puzzles.

  • tatty

    noun — Potato

    adjective — Tattered; dilapidated, distressed, worn-out, torn

    noun — A woven mat or screen hung at a door or window and kept wet to moisten and cool the air as it enters.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • tiara

    noun — The papal crown.

    noun — An ornamental coronet.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • trait

    noun — An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.

    noun — An uninstantiable collection of methods that provides functionality to a class by using the class’s own interface.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • tray

    noun — A small, typically rectangular or round, flat, and rigid object upon which things are carried.

    verb — To place (items) on a tray

    noun — Trouble; annoyance; anger

    verb — To grieve; to annoy

    verb — To betray

    noun — A playing card or die with the rank of three.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

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

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • af×3
  • ag×2
  • ai×1
  • ar×3
  • at×2
  • fa×4
  • fi×1
  • fr×7
  • ga×3
  • gr×4
  • ra×9
  • ri×1
  • ta×7
  • ti×1
  • tr×2

Words by first letter and length

45678Σ
a 542·· 11
f 632·1 12
g 41·11 7
r 22411 10
t 262·· 10
Σ 19161023 50

The numbers

Genius today takes 142 points of 204 available. The average answer runs 5.1 letters.

Total points vs. all 424 recorded puzzles
48th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
59th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 19153 recorded answers

419 today34.4% all-time516 today22.9% all-time610 today20.0% all-time72 today12.0% all-time83 today6.2% all-time92.6% all-time101.2% 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, October 6, 2025 Friday, September 26, 2025
f Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Wednesday, October 1, 2025
g Monday, October 6, 2025 Wednesday, September 3, 2025
i Monday, October 6, 2025 Tuesday, September 30, 2025
r Friday, September 26, 2025 Wednesday, September 10, 2025
t Sunday, October 5, 2025 Thursday, October 2, 2025
y Sunday, October 5, 2025 first recorded time

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 45
  2. naan 34
  3. nana 34
  4. onion 31
  5. toot 31
  6. loll 29
  7. mama 27
  8. mamma 27
  9. acacia 25
  10. acai 25
  11. nene 25
  12. cocoon 24
  13. mini 24
  14. minim 24
  15. loon 24
  16. olio 24
  17. aria 23
  18. imam 23
  19. maim 23
  20. mitt 23
  21. onto 23
  22. toon 23
  23. cancan 23
  24. canna 23
  25. neon 23

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.