The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

AELNUXT

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Words
66
Points
316
Genius
221
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 66 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • ante

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • antenatal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • antenna

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • antennae

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • attenuate

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • attune

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • aunt

    noun — The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent.

    noun — A woman of an older generation than oneself, especially a friend of one's parents, by means of fictive kin.

    noun — The female cousin of one’s parent.

    noun — Any elderly woman.

    noun — A procuress or bawd.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • eaten

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • elate

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • entente

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • exalt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • exeunt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • extant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • extent

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • extenuate

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • exult

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • exultant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • lantana

    noun — Any member of the genus Lantana of perennial verbenas with aromatic flower clusters.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • late

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • laten

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • latent

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • latex

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • latte

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • leant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • lent

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • lunate

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lunette

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • lute

    noun — A fretted stringed instrument of European origin, similar to the guitar, having a bowl-shaped body or soundbox; any of a wide variety of chordophones with a pear-shaped body and a neck whose upper surface is in the same plane as the soundboard, with strings along the neck and parallel to the soundboard.

    noun — Thick sticky clay or cement used to close up a hole or gap, especially to make something air-tight.

    verb — To play on a lute, or as if on a lute.

    noun — A packing ring, as of rubber, for fruit jars, etc.

    noun — (brickmaking) A straight-edged piece of wood for striking off superfluous clay from earth.

    verb — To fix or fasten something with lute.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • luteal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • natal

    adjective — Of or relating to birth.

    adjective — Of or relating to the buttocks.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • natant

    adjective — Floating or swimming (in water)

    adjective — In a horizontal position, as if swimming

    Appeared in 18 recorded puzzles.

  • neat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • neaten

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • nettle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • next

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tale

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • talent

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tall

    adjective — (of a person) Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.

    adjective — (of a building, etc.) Having its top a long way up; having a great vertical (and often greater than horizontal) extent; high.

    adjective — (of a story) Hard to believe, such as a tall story or a tall tale.

    adjective — (of a cup of coffee) A cup of coffee smaller than grande, usually 8 ounces.

    noun — (possibly nonstandard) Someone or something that is tall.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • tattle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tattletale

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • taunt

    noun — A scornful or mocking remark; a jeer or mockery

    verb — To make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • taut

    adjective — Under tension, like a stretched bowstring, rope, or sail; tight.

    adjective — (of a body, muscles, etc.) Not flabby; firm, toned; (of a person) having a lean, strong body.

    adjective — (of music, writing, etc.) Containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled.

    adjective — (of a sailor, a ship, etc.) Neat and well-disciplined; (by extension) efficient and in order.

    adjective — Experiencing anxiety or stress.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • tauten

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • taxa

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • teal

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • teat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • teen

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • teletext

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • telex

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tell

    verb — To convey by speech; to say.

    verb — To narrate.

    verb — To instruct or inform.

    verb — To order; to direct, to say to someone.

    verb — To reveal.

    verb — To discern, notice, identify or distinguish.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • telltale

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tenant

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • tenet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • tent

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 13 recorded puzzles.

  • text

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • textual

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tulle

    noun — A kind of silk lace or light netting, used for clothing, veils, etc.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • tuna

    noun — The edible flesh of the tuna.

    noun — Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae.

    noun — The prickly pear, a type of cactus native to Mexico in the genus Opuntia.

    noun — The fruit of the cactus.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • tune

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • tunnel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • tutee

    noun — A student of a tutor.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • tutu

    noun — A ballet skirt made of layered stiff but light netting.

    noun — Any of the genus Coriaria of shrubs and trees found in New Zealand.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • ululate

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • uneaten

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • unlet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • untune

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • an×4
  • at×2
  • au×1
  • ea×1
  • el×1
  • en×1
  • ex×7
  • la×6
  • le×2
  • lu×4
  • na×2
  • ne×4
  • ta×9
  • te×12
  • tu×6
  • ul×1
  • un×3

Words by first letter and length

45678910Σ
a 2·1112· 7
e ·43111· 10
l 3432··· 12
n 213···· 6
t 135512·1 27
u ·112··· 4
Σ 2015167431 66

The numbers

Genius today takes 221 points of 316 available. The average answer runs 5.6 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
90th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
93rd percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

420 today34.5% all-time515 today22.8% all-time616 today20.0% all-time77 today12.1% all-time84 today6.3% all-time93 today2.5% all-time101 today1.2% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Sunday, October 12, 2025 Tuesday, October 7, 2025
e Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Friday, September 19, 2025
l Tuesday, October 14, 2025 Friday, October 10, 2025
n Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Thursday, October 9, 2025
t ● Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Monday, October 13, 2025
u Saturday, October 11, 2025 Thursday, September 25, 2025
x Wednesday, October 8, 2025 first recorded time

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.