The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ACFMOUT

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Words
28
Points
94
Genius
65
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 28 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • afoot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • atom

    noun — The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.

    noun — (history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.

    noun — The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something.

    noun — In logical atomism, a fundamental fact that cannot be further broken down.

    noun — The smallest medieval unit of time, equal to fifteen ninety-fourths of a second.

    noun — A mote of dust in a sunbeam.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • auto

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • automat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • automata

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • coat

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • coot

    noun — Any of various aquatic birds of the genus Fulica that are mainly black with a prominent frontal shield on the forehead.

    noun — A foolish or eccentric fellow

    noun — (with the) A success; something excellent.

    noun — Body louse (Pediculus humanus).

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • cutoff

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • cutout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • fact

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • factotum

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • foot

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • moat

    noun — A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation.

    verb — To surround with a moat.

    noun — An aspect of a business which makes it more "defensible" from competitors, either because of the nature of its products, services, franchise or other reason.

    noun — A circular lowland between a resurgent dome and the walls of the caldera surrounding it.

    noun — A hill or mound.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • moot

    noun — A moot court.

    adjective — Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve.

    noun — A whisper, or an insinuation, also gossip or rumors.

    verb — To bring up as a subject for debate, to propose.

    noun — Vagina.

    noun — The stump of a tree; the roots and bottom end of a felled tree.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • motto

    noun — A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.

    noun — A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.

    noun — A paper packet containing a sweetmeat, cracker, etc., together with a scrap of paper bearing a motto.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • mutt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • taco

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • tact

    noun — The sense of touch; feeling.

    verb — To use a tact (a kind of verbal operant; see noun sense).

    noun — A maneuver, or action calculated to achieve some end.

    noun — The stroke in beating time.

    noun — Sensitive mental touch; special skill or faculty; keen perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances; the ability to say the right thing.

    noun — A verbal operant which is controlled by a nonverbal stimulus (such as an object, event, or property of an object) and is maintained by nonspecific social reinforcement (praise).

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • tattoo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 14 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.

  • toccata

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • tofu

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tomato

    noun — A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.

    verb — To pelt with tomatoes

    noun — The savory fruit of this plant, red when ripe, treated as a vegetable in horticulture and cooking.

    noun — A shade of red, the colour of a ripe tomato.

    noun — A desirable-looking woman.

    noun — A stupid act or person.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • tomcat

    noun — A tom, a male cat.

    verb — To prowl for sexual gratification.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • toot

    noun — The noise of a horn or whistle.

    verb — To stand out, or be prominent.

    noun — A toilet.

    noun — (by extension) A fart; flatus.

    noun — Cocaine.

    noun — A portion of cocaine that a person snorts.

    Appeared in 28 recorded puzzles.

  • tout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • tuft

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 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.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • af×1
  • at×1
  • au×3
  • co×2
  • cu×2
  • fa×2
  • fo×1
  • mo×3
  • mu×1
  • ta×4
  • to×6
  • tu×2

Words by first letter and length

45678Σ
a 21·11 5
c 2·2·· 4
f 2···1 3
m 31··· 4
t 8·31· 12
Σ 172522 28

The numbers

Genius today takes 65 points of 94 available. The average answer runs 4.9 letters.

Total points vs. all 384 recorded puzzles
4th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
10th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17432 recorded answers

417 today34.6% all-time52 today22.8% all-time65 today20.0% all-time72 today12.1% all-time82 today6.3% all-time92.6% all-time101.2% all-time110.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
a Monday, December 29, 2025 Friday, December 12, 2025
c Sunday, December 28, 2025 Sunday, December 28, 2025
f Thursday, December 18, 2025 Thursday, November 6, 2025
m Saturday, December 20, 2025 Tuesday, November 18, 2025
o Tuesday, December 30, 2025 Saturday, December 6, 2025
t ● Saturday, December 27, 2025 Sunday, December 21, 2025
u Saturday, December 27, 2025 Saturday, December 27, 2025

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 42
  2. naan 30
  3. nana 30
  4. onion 29
  5. toot 28
  6. loll 28
  7. mama 25
  8. mamma 25
  9. cocoon 23
  10. acacia 23
  11. acai 23
  12. loon 23
  13. nene 23
  14. bill 22
  15. neon 22
  16. none 22
  17. olio 22
  18. aria 21
  19. onto 21
  20. toon 21
  21. cancan 21
  22. canna 21
  23. lull 20
  24. lulu 20
  25. lilt 20

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.