The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

AFILOWR

Saturday, January 31, 2026

Words
36
Points
134
Genius
93
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 36 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.

  • afro

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • airflow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • airfoil

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • aria

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

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • aril

    noun — A tissue surrounding the seed in certain fruits such as pomegranates.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • arrow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • fair

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • farro

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • farrow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • flair

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • floor

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • flora

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • floral

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • foofaraw

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • fora

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • frail

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • friar

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • frill

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lair

    noun — A place inhabited by a wild animal, often a cave or a hole in the ground.

    noun — A place inhabited by a criminal or criminals, a superhero or a supervillain; a refuge, retreat, haven or hideaway.

    noun — A shed or shelter for domestic animals.

    noun — A bed or resting place.

    noun — A grave; a cemetery plot.

    verb — To rest; to dwell.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • liar

    noun — One who tells lies.

    noun — A swabber responsible for cleaning the outside parts of the ship rather than the cabins, a role traditionally assigned to a person caught telling a lie the previous week.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • lira

    noun — The basic unit of currency in Turkey.

    noun — The former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino, Cyprus and the Vatican City, superseded by the euro

    noun — The former currency of Israel, superseded by the sheqel.

    noun — The currency of Lebanon (also pound), Syria (also pound), Jordan (also dinar)

    noun — A Ukrainian folk musical instrument similar to the hurdy-gurdy.

    noun — Any of a set of fine ridges on the shells of some molluscs

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • oral

    adjective — Spoken rather than written.

    adjective — Relating to the mouth.

    noun — Oral sex.

    noun — A spoken test or examination, particularly in a language class.

    noun — A physical examination of the mouth.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • raffia

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rail

    noun — The metal bar that makes the track for a railroad.

    noun — A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.

    noun — A railroad; a railway, as a means of transportation.

    noun — A horizontal piece of wood that serves to separate sections of a door or window.

    verb — To criticize severely.

    noun — Any of several birds in the family Rallidae.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • rial

    noun — The official currencies of Iran, Oman, and Yemen.

    noun — An old gold coin of England.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • riff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • riffraff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rill

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • roar

    noun — A long, loud, deep shout, as of rage or laughter, made with the mouth wide open.

    verb — To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.

    verb — To laugh in a particularly loud manner.

    noun — A loud resounding noise.

    verb — Generally, of inanimate objects etc., to make a loud resounding noise.

    verb — Of animals (especially the lion), to make a loud deep noise.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • roil

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • roll

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • roof

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • wallaroo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • warrior

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

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

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • af×3
  • ai×2
  • ar×3
  • fa×3
  • fl×4
  • fo×2
  • fr×3
  • la×1
  • li×2
  • or×1
  • ra×2
  • ri×4
  • ro×4
  • wa×2

Words by first letter and length

45678Σ
a 4112· 8
f 272·1 12
l 3···· 3
o 1···· 1
r 8·1·1 10
w ···11 2
Σ 188433 36

The numbers

Genius today takes 93 points of 134 available. The average answer runs 5.0 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
18th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
27th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

418 today34.5% all-time58 today22.8% all-time64 today20.0% all-time73 today12.1% all-time83 today6.3% all-time92.5% 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 Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Tuesday, January 20, 2026
f Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Sunday, January 4, 2026
i Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Tuesday, January 27, 2026
l Friday, January 30, 2026 Friday, January 30, 2026
o Friday, January 30, 2026 Wednesday, January 21, 2026
r ● Friday, January 30, 2026 Saturday, January 10, 2026
w Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Friday, October 31, 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.