The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

AILNTVO

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Words
63
Points
350
Genius
244
Pangrams
4

Official answers

Show the 63 answersHide answers

Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • aioli

    noun — A type of sauce, similar to mayonnaise, made from garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • allot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • alto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • anion

    noun — A negatively charged ion.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • annatto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • annotation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • anoint

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 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 20 recorded puzzles.

  • atoll

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • atonal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • aviation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • initiation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • innovation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • innovational

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • into

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • intonation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • invitation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • invitational

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • iota

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • lanolin

    noun — A greasy yellow substance chemically akin to wax that is secreted from wooly animals, with a variety of uses from rust prevention, lubrication and waterproofing to cosmetics and skin ointments.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • llano

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

    Appeared in 9 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 9 recorded puzzles.

  • loin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • loll

    verb — To act lazily or indolently while reclining; to lean; to lie at ease.

    verb — To hang extended from the mouth, like the tongue of an animal heated from exertion.

    verb — To let (the tongue) hang from the mouth in this way.

    Appeared in 27 recorded puzzles.

  • loon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 22 recorded puzzles.

  • loot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • lotion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • lotto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • nation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • national

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • nonillion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • noon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 41 recorded puzzles.

  • notation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • notational

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • notion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • notional

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • nova

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • novation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • olio

    noun — A medley or mixture; a hotchpotch.

    noun — A collection of various musical, theatrical or other artistic works; a miscellany.

    noun — A rich, thick, Spanish stew consisting of meat and vegetables.

    noun — (by extension) Vaudeville or similar miscellaneous musical or theatrical entertainment skits presented between the main acts of burlesque or minstrel shows.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • onion

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 28 recorded puzzles.

  • onto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • oval

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • ovation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • talon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tattoo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • titillation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • toil

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • toll

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • tonal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tool

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • toon

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • toot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 27 recorded puzzles.

  • total

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • viol

    noun — A stringed instrument related to the violin family, but held in the lap between the legs like a cello, usually with C-holes, a flat back, a fretted neck and six strings, played with an underhanded bow hold.

    verb — To play the viol.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • viola

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • violation

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • violin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • voila

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • volant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • volition

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • volitional

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • volt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ai×1
  • al×2
  • an×5
  • at×2
  • av×1
  • in×7
  • io×1
  • la×1
  • li×1
  • ll×1
  • lo×7
  • na×2
  • no×8
  • ol×1
  • on×2
  • ov×2
  • ta×2
  • ti×1
  • to×7
  • vi×4
  • vo×5

Words by first letter and length

456789101112Σ
a 24211·1·· 11
i 2·····4·2 8
l 6211····· 10
n 2·2·411·· 10
o 31·1····· 5
t 531····1· 10
v 222·111·· 9
Σ 22128362712 63

The numbers

Genius today takes 244 points of 350 available. The average answer runs 6.2 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
95th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
89th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

422 today34.5% all-time512 today22.8% all-time68 today20.0% all-time73 today12.1% all-time86 today6.3% all-time92 today2.5% all-time107 today1.2% all-time111 today0.3% all-time122 today0.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Friday, May 29, 2026 Friday, May 29, 2026
i Thursday, May 28, 2026 Thursday, May 14, 2026
l Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Sunday, May 17, 2026
n Thursday, May 28, 2026 Thursday, May 7, 2026
o ● Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Wednesday, May 27, 2026
t Monday, May 25, 2026 Monday, May 25, 2026
v Monday, May 25, 2026 Wednesday, April 29, 2026

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.