The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ADGILNB

Monday, December 29, 2025

Words
55
Points
329
Genius
230
Pangrams
3

Official answers

Show the 55 answersHide answers

Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • abiding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • alibi

    noun — The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed

    verb — To provide an excuse for.

    verb — To provide an alibi for.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • baaing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • baba

    noun — A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.

    noun — (esp. among people of East European ancestry) A grandmother.

    noun — An old woman, especially a traditional old woman from an eastern European culture.

    noun — (esp. among people of Indian ancestry) A father.

    noun — (Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism) A holy man, a spiritual leader.

    noun — A baby, child.

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • babbling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • badging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bagging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bail

    noun — Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.

    noun — Release from imprisonment on payment of such money.

    verb — To exit quickly.

    verb — To fail to meet a commitment.

    noun — A hoop, ring or handle (especially of a kettle or bucket).

    verb — To secure the release of an arrested person by providing bail.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • bailing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • bald

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • balding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • baling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • ball

    noun — A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.

    noun — A round or ellipsoidal object.

    verb — To play basketball.

    noun — A very enjoyable time.

    verb — To form or wind into a ball.

    noun — A formal dance.

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • ballad

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • balling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • banal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • banana

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • band

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bandaging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bandana

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bandanna

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • banding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bang

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • banging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • banning

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bidding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • biding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bilabial

    adjective — Articulated with both lips.

    noun — A speech sound articulated with both lips.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • bill

    noun — A piece of paper money; a banknote.

    noun — A written note of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge; an invoice.

    verb — To charge; to send a bill to.

    noun — A draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.

    noun — The beak of a bird, especially when small or flattish; sometimes also used with reference to a platypus, turtle, or other animal.

    noun — Of a cap or hat: the brim or peak, serving as a shade to keep sun off the face and out of the eyes.

    Appeared in 22 recorded puzzles.

  • billing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • bind

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bindi

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • binding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • binging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • binning

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • blab

    verb — To tell tales; to gossip without reserve or discretion.

    noun — Gossip; prattle.

    noun — One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale; a gossip or gossiper.

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • blabbing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • blading

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • bland

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • blin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 12 recorded puzzles.

  • blind

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • blinding

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • bling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • blini

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 12 recorded puzzles.

  • dabbing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dabbling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • gabbing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • gabbling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • gibing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • glib

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • labia

    noun — The folds of tissue at the opening of the vulva, at either side of the vagina.

    noun — A liplike structure; especially one of the two pairs of folds of skin either side of the vulva.

    noun — The lip of a labiate corolla.

    noun — The lip against which pressured air is driven to produce sound in a recorder and in a pipe organ with flue pipes.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • labial

    adjective — Of or pertaining to the lips or labia.

    adjective — Articulated by the lips, as the consonants b, m and w.

    noun — A consonant articulated by the lips.

    adjective — Of an incisor or canine, on the side facing the lips. See mesial.

    noun — Any of the scales bordering the mouth opening of a reptile.

    noun — An organ pipe having a lip that influences its sound.

    Appeared in 17 recorded puzzles.

  • libidinal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • nabbing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • nibbling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

balding, blading are perfect pangrams — all seven letters, each used exactly once.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ab×1
  • al×1
  • ba×23
  • bi×10
  • bl×9
  • da×2
  • ga×2
  • gi×1
  • gl×1
  • la×2
  • li×1
  • na×1
  • ni×1

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
a ·1·1·· 2
b 10651551 42
d ···11· 2
g 1·111· 4
l ·11··1 3
n ···11· 2
Σ 11871982 55

The numbers

Genius today takes 230 points of 329 available. The average answer runs 6.2 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
92nd percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
71st percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

411 today34.5% all-time58 today22.8% all-time67 today20.0% all-time719 today12.1% all-time88 today6.3% all-time92 today2.5% 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 Saturday, December 27, 2025 Friday, December 12, 2025
b ● Sunday, December 21, 2025 Sunday, December 14, 2025
d Friday, December 26, 2025 Thursday, December 4, 2025
g Saturday, December 27, 2025 Saturday, December 20, 2025
i Thursday, December 25, 2025 Tuesday, December 23, 2025
l Sunday, December 28, 2025 Tuesday, December 9, 2025
n Saturday, December 27, 2025 Friday, December 26, 2025

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 41
  2. naan 30
  3. nana 30
  4. onion 28
  5. toot 27
  6. loll 27
  7. mama 24
  8. mamma 24
  9. cocoon 23
  10. nene 23
  11. acacia 22
  12. acai 22
  13. bill 22
  14. loon 22
  15. aria 21
  16. onto 21
  17. toon 21
  18. cancan 21
  19. canna 21
  20. neon 21
  21. none 21
  22. olio 21
  23. anon 20
  24. lull 19
  25. lulu 19

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.