The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ACEHLON

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Words
62
Points
269
Genius
188
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 62 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • acne

    noun — A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands through bacterial infection.

    noun — A pattern of blemishes in an area of skin resulting from the skin condition.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • aeon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • alone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • anal

    adjective — Of a person, compulsive and stubborn, obsessed with neatness and accuracy, supposedly from not having progressed beyond the anal stage.

    adjective — Of, related to, intended for or involving the anus.

    adjective — Of the stage in psychosexual development when the child's interest is alleged to be concentrated on the anal region.

    noun — Anal sex.

    noun — Any of the anal scales of a reptile.

    adjective — (of a vein) Proximate to the thorax.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • ancho

    noun — A broad, flat, dried poblano pepper, often ground into a powder.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • annal

    noun — The record of a single event or item.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • anneal

    noun — An act of annealing.

    verb — To subject to great heat and then (often slow) cooling, and sometimes reheating and further cooling, for the purpose of rendering less brittle; to temper; to toughen.

    verb — To cool glass slowly, to minimize internal stress.

    verb — To burn colors onto a glass or other surface.

    verb — To make a double-stranded nucleic acid by pairing a single strand with a complementary strand.

    verb — To strengthen or harden.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • anon

    noun — An anonymous person, especially an author.

    adverb — Straight away; at once.

    adverb — Soon; in a little while.

    adverb — At another time; then; again.

    adjective — Anonymous

    noun — A work with an unknown author.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • canal

    noun — An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.

    noun — A tubular channel within the body.

    verb — To dig an artificial waterway in or to (a place), especially for drainage

    verb — To travel along a canal by boat

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • cancan

    noun — A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.

    verb — To dance the cancan.

    noun — (motocross) A trick where one leg is brought over the seat, so that both legs are on one side.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • cancel

    verb — To invalidate or annul something.

    verb — To cease to provide financial or moral support to (someone deemed unacceptable). Compare cancel culture.

    verb — To cross out something with lines etc.

    verb — To stop production of a programme.

    noun — A cancellation (US); (nonstandard in some kinds of English).

    verb — To offset or equalize something.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • cane

    noun — A plant with simple stems, like bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem thereof

    noun — The stem of such a plant adapted for use as a tool

    verb — To strike or beat with a cane or similar implement

    noun — A rod-shaped tool or device, somewhat like a cane

    noun — Split rattan, as used in wickerwork, basketry and the like

    verb — To make or furnish with cane or rattan.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • canna

    noun — Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers.

    noun — A measure of length in Italy, varying from six to seven feet.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • cannon

    noun — A complete assembly, consisting of an artillery tube and a breech mechanism, firing mechanism or base cap, which is a component of a gun, howitzer or mortar. It may include muzzle appendages.

    verb — To bombard with cannons.

    noun — A generally accepted principle; a rule.

    noun — A clergy member serving a cathedral or collegiate church.

    noun — A Near Eastern and Caucasian musical instrument related to the zither, dulcimer, or harp having either 26 strings and a single bridge, or twice that number and two bridges.

    noun — Any similar device for shooting material out of a tube.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • canoe

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • canola

    noun — Any of a number of cultivars of rapeseed (Brassica napus) and closely related field mustard (Brassica rapa), which have a lower erucic acid and glucosinolate content than traditional rapeseed.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • canon

    noun — A generally accepted principle; a rule.

    noun — A clergy member serving a cathedral or collegiate church.

    noun — A Near Eastern and Caucasian musical instrument related to the zither, dulcimer, or harp having either 26 strings and a single bridge, or twice that number and two bridges.

    noun — A group of literary works that are generally accepted as representing a field.

    noun — The works of a writer that have been accepted as authentic.

    noun — A eucharistic prayer, particularly the Roman Canon.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • chance

    noun — An opportunity or possibility.

    noun — Random occurrence; luck.

    noun — The probability of something happening.

    adjective — Happening by chance, casual.

    verb — To try or risk.

    verb — To happen by chance, to occur.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • chancel

    noun — The space around the altar in a church, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • channel

    noun — A specific radio frequency or band of frequencies used for transmitting television.

    noun — A specific radio frequency or band of frequencies, usually in conjunction with a predetermined letter, number, or codeword, and allocated by international agreement.

    noun — Something through which another thing passes; a means of conveying or transmitting.

    noun — A narrow body of water between two land masses.

    verb — To direct or guide along a desired course.

    noun — The physical confine of a river or slough, consisting of a bed and banks.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • clan

    noun — A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief.

    noun — Any group defined by family ties with some sort of political unity.

    noun — A group of players who habitually play on the same team in multiplayer games.

    noun — A traditional social group of families in the Scottish Highlands having a common hereditary chieftain

    noun — A badger colony.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • clean

    adjective — (heading, physical) Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances.

    verb — To remove dirt from a place or object.

    verb — To tidy up, make a place neat.

    adjective — Smooth, exact, and performed well

    adjective — Total; utter. (still in "clean sweep")

    adjective — (heading, behavioural) Free of immorality or criminality.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • clench

    verb — To grip or hold fast.

    verb — To close tightly.

    noun — Tight grip.

    noun — A seal that is applied to formed thin-wall bushings.

    noun — A local chapter of the Church of the SubGenius parody religion.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • clone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cocoon

    noun — The silky protective case spun by the larvae of some insects in which they metamorphose, the pupa.

    verb — To envelop in a protective case

    noun — Any similar protective case, whether real or metaphorical.

    verb — To withdraw into such a case.

    Appeared in 24 recorded puzzles.

  • colcannon

    noun — A traditional Irish dish made from mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale, with scallions, butter, salt and pepper added.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • colleen

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • colon

    noun — The punctuation mark ":".

    noun — Part of the large intestine; the final segment of the digestive system, after (distal to) the ileum and before (proximal to) the anus.

    noun — A husbandman.

    noun — The triangular colon (especially in context of not being able to type the actual triangular colon).

    noun — A rhetorical figure consisting of a clause which is grammatically, but not logically, complete.

    noun — A clause or group of clauses written as a line, or taken as a standard of measure in ancient manuscripts or texts.

    Appeared in 12 recorded puzzles.

  • colonel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • conceal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • conch

    noun — A marine gastropod of the family Strombidae which lives in its own spiral shell.

    verb — To refine the flavour and texture of chocolate by warming and grinding, either in a traditional concher, or between rollers.

    noun — A machine (rather like a rotating pestle and mortar) used to refine the flavour and texture of chocolate by warming and grinding.

    noun — The shell of this sea animal.

    noun — A musical instrument made from a large spiral seashell, somewhat like a trumpet.

    noun — The semidome of an apse, or the apse itself.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • cone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • echelon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • elan

    noun — Ardor or zeal inspired by passion or enthusiasm.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • enhance

    verb — To augment or make something greater.

    verb — To improve something by adding features.

    verb — To lift, raise up.

    verb — To be raised up; to grow larger.

    verb — (radiology) To take up contrast agent (for an organ, tissue, or lesion).

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • enlace

    verb — (by extension) To entangle.

    verb — To bind or encircle with lace, or as with lace

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • hence

    adverb — As a result; therefore, for this reason

    adverb — (of a length of time) in the future from now

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • henna

    noun — A shrub, Lawsonia inermis, having fragrant reddish flowers

    verb — To dye or tattoo with henna.

    adjective — Of a rich reddish-brown colour.

    noun — A reddish plant substance, prepared from the dried leaves of this plant, used for temporary tattoos and hair coloring. Hair colorings range from bright red to earth brown to near black.

    noun — A rich reddish-brown colour.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • honcho

    noun — Boss, leader

    verb — To lead or manage.

    Appeared in 7 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.

  • lance

    noun — A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.

    verb — To open with a lancet; to pierce

    verb — To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.

    noun — A wooden spear, sometimes hollow, used in jousting or tilting, designed to shatter on impact with the opposing knight’s armour.

    noun — A spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.

    noun — A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • lane

    noun — (used in street names) A road, street, or similar thoroughfare.

    noun — A narrow passageway between fences, walls, hedges or trees.

    noun — A narrow road, as in the country.

    noun — A lengthwise division of roadway intended for a single line of vehicles.

    noun — A similar division of a racetrack to keep runners apart.

    noun — A course designated for ships or aircrafts.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • lean

    noun — (of an object taller than its width and depth) An inclination away from the vertical.

    verb — To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.

    noun — Meat with no fat on it.

    verb — To thin out (a fuel-air mixture): to reduce the fuel flow into the mixture so that there is more air or oxygen.

    adjective — (of a person or animal) Slim; not fleshy.

    verb — To conceal.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • llano

    noun — A plain or steppe in parts of Latin America.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • loan

    noun — A sum of money or other property that a natural or legal person borrows from another with the condition that it be returned or repaid over time or at a later date (sometimes with interest).

    verb — To lend (something) to (someone).

    noun — An act or instance of lending, an act or instance of granting something for temporary use.

    noun — The contract and array of legal or ethical obligations surrounding a loan.

    noun — The permission to borrow any item.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • lone

    adjective — Solitary; having no companion.

    adjective — Isolated or lonely; lacking companionship.

    adjective — Sole; being the only one of a type.

    adjective — Situated by itself or by oneself, with no neighbours.

    adjective — Unfrequented by human beings; solitary.

    adjective — Single; unmarried, or in widowhood.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • loon

    noun — An idler, a lout.

    noun — Any of various birds, of the order Gaviiformes, of North America and Europe that dive for fish and have a short tail, webbed feet and a yodeling cry.

    noun — A boy, a lad.

    noun — A harlot; mistress.

    noun — A simpleton.

    noun — A crazy or deranged person.

    Appeared in 24 recorded puzzles.

  • naan

    noun — A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.

    Appeared in 33 recorded puzzles.

  • nacelle

    noun — A separate streamlined enclosure mounted on an aircraft to house an engine, cargo, or crew.

    noun — The part between the tower and rotor of a wind turbine.

    noun — The compartment that holds passengers on a hot-air balloon, a dirigible, or an aerostat; a gondola.

    noun — The submersed providers of buoyancy of a SWATH hulled boat.

    noun — A small boat.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • nacho

    noun — A single tortilla chip from a dish of nachos.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • nana

    noun — (term of endearment) one's grandmother

    noun — A banana

    noun — A fool

    noun — A nanny

    Appeared in 33 recorded puzzles.

  • nene

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

    Appeared in 25 recorded puzzles.

  • neocon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 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.

  • noel

    noun — Christmas

    noun — A kind of hymn, or canticle, of mediaeval origin, sung in honor of the birth of Christ; a Christmas carol.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • nonce

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • nonchalance

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • 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.

  • nonlocal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 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 44 recorded puzzles.

  • ocean

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • once

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ac×1
  • ae×1
  • al×1
  • an×5
  • ca×9
  • ch×3
  • cl×4
  • co×8
  • ec×1
  • el×1
  • en×2
  • he×2
  • ho×2
  • la×2
  • le×1
  • ll×1
  • lo×3
  • na×4
  • ne×3
  • no×6
  • oc×1
  • on×1

Words by first letter and length

45678911Σ
a 431···· 8
c 3875·1· 24
e 1·12··· 4
h 121···· 4
l 52····· 7
n 72111·1 13
o 11····· 2
Σ 2218118111 62

The numbers

Genius today takes 188 points of 269 available. The average answer runs 5.3 letters.

Total points vs. all 411 recorded puzzles
76th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
87th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18583 recorded answers

422 today34.5% all-time518 today23.0% all-time611 today20.0% all-time78 today12.0% all-time81 today6.2% all-time91 today2.6% all-time101.3% all-time111 today0.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Thursday, April 9, 2026 Sunday, April 5, 2026
c Thursday, April 9, 2026 Thursday, April 9, 2026
e Saturday, April 11, 2026 Saturday, March 21, 2026
h Saturday, April 11, 2026 Monday, April 6, 2026
l Saturday, April 11, 2026 Saturday, April 11, 2026
n ● Friday, April 10, 2026 Friday, April 10, 2026
o Friday, April 10, 2026 Thursday, April 2, 2026

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 44
  2. naan 33
  3. nana 33
  4. onion 31
  5. toot 29
  6. loll 29
  7. mama 27
  8. mamma 27
  9. nene 25
  10. cocoon 24
  11. acacia 24
  12. acai 24
  13. loon 24
  14. olio 24
  15. imam 23
  16. maim 23
  17. cancan 23
  18. canna 23
  19. mini 23
  20. minim 23
  21. neon 23
  22. none 23
  23. aria 22
  24. mitt 22
  25. bill 22

Valid words the Bee rejected

Accepted on other days, not today

These fit today's letters and have been official answers before — today the Bee said no.

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.