The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

CDENOWL

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Words
57
Points
254
Genius
177
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 57 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.

  • cello

    noun — A large stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings, tuned from lowest to highest C-G-D-A, and played with a bow, also possessing an endpin to support the instrument's weight.

    noun — Cellophane

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • clod

    noun — A lump of something, especially of earth or clay.

    verb — To pelt with clods.

    noun — The ground; the earth; a spot of earth or turf.

    noun — A stupid person; a dolt.

    noun — Part of a shoulder of beef, or of the neck piece near the shoulder.

    verb — To throw violently; to hurl.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • clone

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • cloned

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • clown

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • clowned

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • coddle

    noun — An Irish dish comprising layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and bacon rashers with sliced potatoes and onions.

    verb — To treat gently or with great care.

    noun — An effeminate person.

    verb — To cook slowly in hot water that is below the boiling point.

    verb — To exercise excessive or damaging authority in an attempt to protect. To overprotect.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • coddled

    verb — To treat gently or with great care.

    verb — To cook slowly in hot water that is below the boiling point.

    verb — To exercise excessive or damaging authority in an attempt to protect. To overprotect.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cold

    adjective — (of a thing) Having a low temperature.

    noun — A condition of low temperature.

    adverb — While at low temperature.

    adjective — (of the weather) Causing the air to be cold.

    adjective — (of a person or animal) Feeling the sensation of coldness, especially to the point of discomfort.

    adjective — Unfriendly, emotionally distant or unfeeling.

    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.

  • condole

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • condoled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • condolence

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cool

    noun — A moderate or refreshing state of cold; moderate temperature of the air between hot and cold; coolness.

    adjective — Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.

    verb — To lose heat, to get colder.

    noun — A calm temperament.

    noun — The property of being cool, popular or in fashion.

    adjective — Allowing or suggesting heat relief.

    Appeared in 20 recorded puzzles.

  • cooldown

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cooled

    verb — To lose heat, to get colder.

    adjective — Brought to a lower temperature.

    verb — To make cooler, less warm.

    verb — To become less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.

    verb — To make less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.

    verb — To kill.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • cowl

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dell

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • dole

    verb — To distribute in small amounts; to share out small portions of a meager resource.

    noun — Payment by the state to the unemployed.

    noun — Money or other goods given as charity.

    noun — Distribution; dealing; apportionment.

    noun — A boundary; a landmark.

    noun — Sorrow or grief; dolour.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • doled

    verb — To distribute in small amounts; to share out small portions of a meager resource.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • doll

    noun — A toy in the form of a human.

    noun — A term of endearment: darling, sweetheart.

    noun — (sometimes offensive) An attractive young woman

    noun — A dollar.

    noun — (now possibly offensive) A good-natured, cooperative or helpful girl.

    noun — The smallest or pet pig in a litter.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • dolled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • doodle

    verb — To draw or scribble aimlessly.

    noun — A small mindless sketch, etc.

    noun — Any crossbreed of a poodle with a different breed of dog.

    noun — A fool, a simpleton, a mindless person.

    noun — (sometimes childish) Penis.

    verb — To drone like a bagpipe.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • doodled

    verb — To draw or scribble aimlessly.

    verb — To drone like a bagpipe.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • dowel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • dwell

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dwelled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lede

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • lend

    noun — The lumbar region; loin.

    verb — To allow to be used by someone temporarily, on condition that it or its equivalent will be returned.

    noun — (of a person or animal) The loins; flank; buttocks.

    verb — To make a loan.

    verb — To be suitable or applicable, to fit.

    verb — To afford; to grant or furnish in general.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • lewd

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • loco

    adverb — A direction in written or printed music to be returning to the proper pitch after having played an octave higher or lower.

    noun — A certain species of Astragalus or Oxytropis, capable of causing locoism.

    verb — To poison with the loco plant; to affect with locoism.

    adjective — Crazy.

    noun — A locomotive.

    verb — (by extension) To render insane.

    Appeared in 20 recorded puzzles.

  • locoweed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • lode

    noun — A vein of metallic ore that lies within definite boundaries, or within a fissure.

    noun — (by extension) A rich source of supply.

    noun — A way or path; a road.

    noun — A watercourse.

    Appeared in 3 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 29 recorded puzzles.

  • lolled

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

    verb — To laugh out loud.

    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 3 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.

  • lowdown

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lowed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • needle

    noun — A fine, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections, etc.

    verb — To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.

    noun — Any slender, pointed object resembling a needle, such as a pointed crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.

    noun — A fine measurement indicator on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle.

    noun — A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.

    noun — A needle-like leaf found on some conifers.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • needled

    verb — To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.

    adjective — Covered or armored with needles.

    verb — To tease in order to provoke; to poke fun at.

    verb — To form, or be formed, in the shape of a needle.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • newel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 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.

  • noodle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • noodled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • olden

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • oleo

    noun — Margarine

    noun — The various fats and oils that go into the making of margarine.

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • weld

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • welded

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • well

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • welled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • wool

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • woolen

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

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

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ce×3
  • cl×5
  • co×13
  • de×1
  • do×7
  • dw×2
  • le×3
  • lo×9
  • ne×3
  • no×3
  • ol×2
  • we×4
  • wo×2

Words by first letter and length

4567810Σ
c 544521 21
d 3322·· 10
l 81111· 12
n 1122·· 6
o 11···· 2
w 3·3··· 6
Σ 2110121031 57

The numbers

Genius today takes 177 points of 254 available. The average answer runs 5.4 letters.

Total points vs. all 413 recorded puzzles
71st percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
77th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 18686 recorded answers

421 today34.5% all-time510 today23.0% all-time612 today20.0% all-time710 today12.0% all-time83 today6.2% all-time92.6% all-time101 today1.3% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
c Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Wednesday, July 23, 2025
d Wednesday, July 23, 2025 first recorded time
e Wednesday, July 23, 2025 first recorded time
l ● Thursday, July 24, 2025 Thursday, July 24, 2025
n Friday, July 25, 2025 first recorded time
o Friday, July 25, 2025 Friday, July 11, 2025
w Wednesday, July 16, 2025 first recorded time

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.