The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

ABDIMNR

Friday, April 17, 2026

Words
50
Points
215
Genius
150
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 50 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • airman

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • aria

    noun — A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.

    Appeared in 21 recorded puzzles.

  • arid

    adjective — Very dry.

    adjective — Devoid of value.

    adjective — Describing a very dry climate. Typically defined as less than 25 cm or 10 inches of rainfall annually.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • armada

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • armband

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • barb

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • barbarian

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bard

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • barmaid

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • barman

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • barn

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • bird

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • birdbrain

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • birria

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • brad

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • braid

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • brain

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • bran

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • brand

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • briar

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • brim

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • darn

    verb — Euphemism of damn.

    adjective — Damn.

    adverb — (degree) Damned.

    verb — To repair by stitching with thread or yarn, particularly by using a needle to construct a weave across a damaged area of fabric.

    noun — A place mended by darning.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • dinar

    noun — The official currency of several countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Serbia and Tunisia.

    noun — An ancient Arab gold coin of 65 grains in weight.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • drab

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • drain

    noun — A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)

    verb — To cause liquid to flow out of.

    verb — To deplete of energy or resources.

    noun — Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.

    verb — To lose liquid.

    noun — An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • dram

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • drama

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • drib

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • mandarin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • marimba

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • marina

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • marinara

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • marm

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • midair

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • midbrain

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • midrib

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • minibar

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • mirin

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • nadir

    noun — The lowest point; time of greatest depression.

    noun — The point of the celestial sphere, directly opposite the zenith; inferior pole of the horizon; point of the celestial sphere directly under the place of observation.

    noun — The axis of a projected conical shadow; the direction of the force of gravity at a location; down.

    noun — An empty box added beneath a full one in a beehive to give the colony more room to expand or store honey.

    verb — To extend (a beehive) by adding an empty box at the base.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • rabbi

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • rabid

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • radar

    noun — A method of detecting distant objects and determining their position, velocity, or other characteristics by analysis of sent radio waves (usually microwaves) reflected from their surfaces

    verb — To scan with radar, or as if with radar.

    noun — A type of system using such method, differentiated by platform, configuration, frequency, power, and other technical attributes.

    noun — A superior ability to detect something.

    noun — An installation of such a system or of the transmitting and receiving apparatus.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • radian

    noun — In the International System of Units, the derived unit of plane angular measure of angle equal to the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc of its circumference equal in length to the radius of the circle. Symbol: rad

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • radii

    noun — A line segment between any point of a circle or sphere and its center.

    noun — The long bone in the forearm, on the side of the thumb.

    noun — The length of this line segment.

    noun — Anything resembling a radius, such as the spoke of a wheel, the movable arm of a sextant, or one of the radiating lines of a spider's web.

    noun — The lighter bone (or fused portion of bone) in the forelimb of an animal.

    noun — One of the major veins of the insect wing, between the subcosta and the media; the vein running along the costal edge of the discal cell.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • raid

    noun — An attack or invasion for the purpose of making arrests, seizing property, or plundering

    noun — A quick hostile or predatory incursion or invasion in a battle.

    noun — A large group in a massively multiplayer online game, consisting of multiple parties who team up to defeat a powerful enemy.

    noun — An activity initiated at or towards the end of a live broadcast by the broadcaster that sends its viewers to a different broadcast, primarily intended to boost the viewership of the receiving broadcaster. This is frequently accompanied by a message in the form of a hashtag that is posted in the broadcast's chat by the viewers.

    verb — To lure from another; to entice away from.

    verb — To indulge oneself by taking from.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • rain

    noun — Condensed water falling from a cloud.

    verb — To have rain fall from the sky.

    noun — Any matter moving or falling, usually through air, and especially if liquid or otherwise figuratively identifiable with raindrops.

    verb — To fall as or like rain.

    verb — To issue (something) in large quantities.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • ramada

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • rand

    noun — The currency of South Africa, divided into 100 cents.

    noun — A border, edge or rim.

    noun — A rocky slope, especially the area over a river valley; specifically, the Rand

    noun — A strip of meat; a long fleshy piece of beef, cut from the flank or leg; a sort of steak.

    noun — A strip of leather used to fit the heels of a shoe.

    verb — To rant; to storm.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • rani

    noun — A Hindu princess or female ruler in India.

    noun — The wife of a rajah.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • rind

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ai×1
  • ar×4
  • ba×6
  • bi×3
  • br×7
  • da×1
  • di×1
  • dr×5
  • ma×5
  • mi×5
  • na×1
  • ra×10
  • ri×1

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
a 2·21·· 5
b 7421·2 16
d 43···· 7
m 11323· 10
n ·1···· 1
r 542··· 11
Σ 19139432 50

The numbers

Genius today takes 150 points of 215 available. The average answer runs 5.3 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
53rd percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
58th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

419 today34.5% all-time513 today22.8% all-time69 today20.0% all-time74 today12.1% all-time83 today6.3% all-time92 today2.5% 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 Thursday, April 16, 2026 Wednesday, April 15, 2026
b Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Tuesday, April 14, 2026
d Saturday, April 11, 2026 Monday, January 26, 2026
i Thursday, April 16, 2026 Thursday, March 26, 2026
m Wednesday, April 15, 2026 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
n Thursday, April 16, 2026 Sunday, April 12, 2026
r ● Monday, April 13, 2026 Wednesday, March 18, 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.