The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

EHIOPXN

Thursday, December 25, 2025

Words
26
Points
94
Genius
65
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 26 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • heinie

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • hone

    noun — A sharpening stone composed of extra-fine grit used for removing the burr or curl from the blade of a razor or some other edge tool.

    verb — To sharpen with a hone; to whet.

    noun — A kind of swelling in the cheek.

    verb — To grumble.

    noun — A machine tool used in the manufacture of precision bores.

    verb — To use a hone to produce a precision bore.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • innie

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • nene

    noun — The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957.

    Appeared in 26 recorded puzzles.

  • neon

    noun — The chemical element (symbol Ne) with an atomic number of 10. The lightest of the noble gases, it is a colourless, odorless inert gas.

    adjective — (of a color) That resembles a neon light; extremely bright; fluorescent

    noun — A form or sample of the element.

    noun — Neon signs or lights, collectively.

    noun — A neon tetra fish.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • nine

    noun — The digit or figure 9.

    numeral — A numerical value equal to 9; the number following eight and preceding ten.

    noun — A playing card with nine pips.

    noun — A nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

    noun — (usually in the plural) A statistical unit of proportion (of reliability, purity, etc.).

    noun — A baseball club, team, or lineup (composed of nine players).

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • ninepin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • none

    noun — A person without religious affiliation.

    adverb — To no extent, in no way.

    pronoun — Not any of a given number or group.

    noun — Those without any religious affiliation: atheists and others outside any organized religion.

    noun — A light meal usually eaten around midday, notably when not as main meal of the day.

    noun — The middle of the afternoon, normally between 2 and 4 pm.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • noon

    noun — The ninth hour of the day counted from sunrise; around three o'clock in the afternoon.

    verb — To relax or sleep around midday

    noun — The letter ن in the Arabic script.

    noun — Time of day when the sun is in its zenith; twelve o'clock in the day, midday.

    noun — The corresponding time in the middle of the night; midnight.

    noun — The highest point; culmination.

    Appeared in 46 recorded puzzles.

  • nope

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • onion

    noun — A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice.

    noun — The bulb of such a plant.

    noun — The genus as a whole.

    noun — A ball.

    noun — A person from Bermuda or of Bermudian descent.

    Appeared in 32 recorded puzzles.

  • open

    adjective — Not closed

    verb — To make something accessible or allow for passage by moving from a shut position.

    noun — (with the) Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.

    adjective — Not physically drawn together, closed, folded or contracted; extended

    adjective — Actively conducting or prepared to conduct business.

    adjective — Receptive.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • opine

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • opinion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • oxen

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • peen

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • penne

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • peon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • phoenix

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • phone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • phono

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • pine

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • pinion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • pippin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • pone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • xenon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

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

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • he×1
  • ho×1
  • in×1
  • ne×2
  • ni×2
  • no×3
  • on×1
  • op×3
  • ox×1
  • pe×3
  • ph×3
  • pi×3
  • po×1
  • xe×1

Words by first letter and length

4567Σ
h 1·1· 2
i ·1·· 1
n 6··1 7
o 22·1 5
p 4321 10
x ·1·· 1
Σ 13733 26

The numbers

Genius today takes 65 points of 94 available. The average answer runs 4.8 letters.

Total points vs. all 444 recorded puzzles
5th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
7th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 20046 recorded answers

413 today34.5% all-time57 today22.8% all-time63 today20.2% all-time73 today12.0% all-time86.2% 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
e Monday, December 22, 2025 Friday, December 5, 2025
h Tuesday, December 16, 2025 Wednesday, December 3, 2025
i Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Tuesday, December 23, 2025
n ● Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Monday, November 17, 2025
o Tuesday, December 23, 2025 Saturday, December 6, 2025
p Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Wednesday, December 24, 2025
x Thursday, December 4, 2025 first recorded time

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 46
  2. naan 36
  3. nana 36
  4. onion 32
  5. toot 32
  6. loll 30
  7. mama 28
  8. mamma 28
  9. acacia 26
  10. acai 26
  11. mini 26
  12. minim 26
  13. nene 26
  14. imam 25
  15. maim 25
  16. onto 25
  17. toon 25
  18. cocoon 24
  19. lilt 24
  20. till 24
  21. tilt 24
  22. aria 24
  23. mitt 24
  24. loon 24
  25. tint 24

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.