The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

BCDELOK

Friday, January 23, 2026

Words
38
Points
173
Genius
121
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 38 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • beck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bedeck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • bedecked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • block

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • blocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • bloke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • book

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • booked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cellblock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • clock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • clocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • 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.

  • cockle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • coke

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • coldcock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • coldcocked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • cookbook

    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.

  • deck

    noun — Any raised flat surface that can be walked on: a balcony; a porch; a raised patio; a flat rooftop.

    verb — To furnish with a deck, as a vessel.

    verb — (sometimes with out) To dress (someone) up, to clothe with more than ordinary elegance

    noun — The floorlike covering of the horizontal sections, or compartments, of a ship. Small vessels have only one deck; larger ships have two or three decks.

    noun — A main aeroplane surface, especially of a biplane or multiplane.

    noun — A pack or set of playing cards.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • decked

    verb — To furnish with a deck, as a vessel.

    verb — (sometimes with out) To dress (someone) up, to clothe with more than ordinary elegance

    adjective — Adorned or embellished.

    verb — To knock someone to the floor, especially with a single punch.

    verb — To cause a player to run out of cards to draw and usually lose the game as a result.

    verb — (sometimes with out) To decorate (something).

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • deckle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • deke

    noun — A feint, fake, or other move made by the player with the puck to deceive a goaltender or defenceman.

    verb — To avoid, go around, or dodge an object, person, or conversation topic; often by using trickery.

    noun — As in hockey, a fake or other move to confuse other players on a team.

    noun — A quick detour.

    verb — To execute a deke in ice hockey or other sports.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • deked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 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.

  • eked

    verb — Chiefly in the form eke out: to add to, to augment; to increase; to lengthen.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • keel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • keeled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • 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.

  • leek

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • locked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • look

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • lookbook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • looked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

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

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • be×3
  • bl×3
  • bo×3
  • ce×1
  • cl×2
  • co×9
  • de×5
  • do×2
  • ek×1
  • ke×2
  • ko×1
  • le×1
  • lo×5

Words by first letter and length

45678910Σ
b 32211·· 9
c 3131211 12
d 313···· 7
e 1······ 1
k 2·1···· 3
l 3·2·1·· 6
Σ 154112411 38

The numbers

Genius today takes 121 points of 173 available. The average answer runs 5.6 letters.

Total points vs. all 425 recorded puzzles
36th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
33rd percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 19174 recorded answers

415 today34.4% all-time54 today23.0% all-time611 today20.0% all-time72 today12.1% all-time84 today6.3% all-time91 today2.6% all-time101 today1.2% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
b Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Monday, December 29, 2025
c Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Sunday, January 18, 2026
d Monday, January 19, 2026 Monday, January 19, 2026
e Thursday, January 22, 2026 Friday, December 5, 2025
k ● Monday, January 19, 2026 Friday, November 14, 2025
l Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Tuesday, December 9, 2025
o Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Wednesday, January 21, 2026

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.