The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

CIKORWB

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Words
18
Points
85
Genius
59
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 18 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • bocci

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • bock

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • boob

    noun — Idiot, fool.

    verb — To behave stupidly; to act like a boob.

    adjective — Idiotic, foolish.

    noun — A breast, especially that of an adult or adolescent human female.

    noun — A prison; jail.

    verb — To make a mistake

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • booboo

    noun — A mistake or error.

    noun — (by or to young children) A minor injury, such as a cut or a bruise.

    noun — (by or to young children) Feces.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • book

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • bookwork

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • boor

    noun — A peasant.

    noun — A Boer, white South African of Dutch or Huguenot descent.

    noun — A yokel, country bumpkin.

    noun — An uncultured person.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • boric

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • borrow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bowwow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • brick

    noun — A hardened rectangular block of mud, clay etc., used for building.

    verb — To build with bricks.

    adjective — (of weather) Extremely cold.

    noun — Such hardened mud, clay, etc. considered collectively, as a building material.

    noun — Something shaped like a brick.

    noun — A helpful and reliable person.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • brickwork

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • brio

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • brook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • brow

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • cookbook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • crib

    noun — A baby’s bed with high, often slatted, often moveable sides, suitable for a child who has outgrown a cradle or bassinet.

    verb — To place or confine in a crib.

    noun — A bed for a child older than a baby.

    noun — A small sleeping berth in a packet ship or other small vessel

    noun — A wicker basket; compare Moses basket.

    noun — A manger, a feeding trough for animals elevated off the earth or floor, especially one for fodder such as hay.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • workbook

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • bo×10
  • br×5
  • co×1
  • cr×1
  • wo×1

Words by first letter and length

45689Σ
b 64311 15
c 1··1· 2
w ···1· 1
Σ 74331 18

The numbers

Genius today takes 59 points of 85 available. The average answer runs 5.5 letters.

Total points vs. all 398 recorded puzzles
3rd percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
0th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17987 recorded answers

47 today34.6% all-time54 today22.8% all-time63 today19.9% all-time712.0% all-time83 today6.3% all-time91 today2.6% all-time101.3% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
b ● Saturday, April 18, 2026 Tuesday, April 14, 2026
c Saturday, April 18, 2026 Saturday, April 18, 2026
i Monday, April 20, 2026 Thursday, March 26, 2026
k Saturday, April 18, 2026 Friday, April 3, 2026
o Saturday, April 18, 2026 Thursday, April 2, 2026
r Friday, April 17, 2026 Friday, April 17, 2026
w Monday, April 13, 2026 Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 42
  2. onion 31
  3. naan 30
  4. nana 30
  5. toot 29
  6. loll 29
  7. mama 26
  8. mamma 26
  9. acacia 24
  10. acai 24
  11. olio 24
  12. cocoon 23
  13. loon 23
  14. nene 23
  15. aria 22
  16. imam 22
  17. maim 22
  18. bill 22
  19. mini 22
  20. minim 22
  21. neon 22
  22. none 22
  23. lilt 21
  24. till 21
  25. tilt 21

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.