The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

CDEHIKL

Friday, May 1, 2026

Words
49
Points
212
Genius
148
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 49 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • cell

    noun — The basic unit of a living organism, consisting of a quantity of protoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane, which is able to synthesize proteins and replicate itself.

    noun — A cellular phone.

    noun — A room in a prison or jail for one or more inmates.

    noun — The unit in a statistical array (a spreadsheet, for example) where a row and a column intersect.

    noun — A device which stores electrical power; used either singly or together in batteries; the basic unit of a battery.

    noun — Each of the small hexagonal compartments in a honeycomb.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • celled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • celli

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • chicle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • child

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • childlike

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • chili

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • chill

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • chilled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cichlid

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cliche

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cliched

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • click

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • clicked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • deckle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • deli

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • dell

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • diddle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • diddled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • dill

    noun — Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.

    verb — To cook or flavor with dill

    verb — To still; to assuage; to calm; to soothe, as one in pain.

    noun — A cucumber pickled with dill flavoring

    noun — A fool.

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • elide

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • elided

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • heckle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • heckled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • heel

    noun — The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.

    verb — To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.

    noun — The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.

    verb — To incline to one side; to tilt.

    verb — To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.

    verb — To hide, conceal, and keep secret, especially for a secret society (such as the masons).

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • heeled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • held

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • hell

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • hill

    noun — An elevated location smaller than a mountain.

    verb — To form into a heap or mound.

    noun — A sloping road.

    noun — A heap of earth surrounding a plant.

    noun — A single cluster or group of plants growing close together, and having the earth heaped up about them.

    noun — The pitcher’s mound.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • hilled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • icicle

    noun — A drooping, tapering shape of ice.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • idle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • idled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 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.

  • kill

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • killed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lech

    noun — A strong, lecherous desire or craving.

    verb — To behave lecherously

    noun — A lecher.

    noun — The capstone of a cromlech.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • lede

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • leech

    noun — An aquatic blood-sucking annelid of class Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.

    noun — A person who derives profit from others in a parasitic fashion.

    verb — To drain (resources) without giving back.

    noun — The vertical edge of a square sail.

    noun — The aft edge of a triangular sail.

    noun — A glass tube designed for drawing blood from damaged tissue by means of a vacuum.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • leeched

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • leek

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lice

    noun — A small parasitic wingless insect of the order Psocodea.

    noun — (not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • lick

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • licked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • lidded

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lied

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • like

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • liked

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ce×3
  • ch×6
  • ci×1
  • cl×4
  • de×3
  • di×3
  • el×2
  • he×6
  • hi×2
  • ic×1
  • id×2
  • ke×2
  • ki×2
  • le×5
  • li×7

Words by first letter and length

45679Σ
c 15341 14
d 3·21· 6
e ·11·· 2
h 4·31· 8
i 111·· 3
k 2·2·· 4
l 7221· 12
Σ 1891471 49

The numbers

Genius today takes 148 points of 212 available. The average answer runs 5.3 letters.

Total points vs. all 413 recorded puzzles
51st percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
57th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18686 recorded answers

418 today34.5% all-time59 today23.0% all-time614 today20.0% all-time77 today12.0% all-time86.2% 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
c Thursday, April 30, 2026 Tuesday, April 28, 2026
d Friday, April 24, 2026 Friday, April 24, 2026
e Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Saturday, March 21, 2026
h Saturday, April 25, 2026 Monday, April 6, 2026
i Thursday, April 30, 2026 Thursday, March 26, 2026
k Tuesday, April 21, 2026 Friday, April 3, 2026
l ● Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Monday, April 20, 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

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.