The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

DELOPTU

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Words
62
Points
299
Genius
209
Pangrams
2

Official answers

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Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • delude

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • deluded

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • depute

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • deputed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • dude

    noun — (used in the vocative) A term of address for someone, typically a man, particularly when cautioning him or offering him advice.

    interjection — A term of address, usually for a man, conveying awe, excitement, surprise, etc.

    noun — A man, generally a younger man.

    noun — An inexperienced cowboy.

    noun — A tourist.

    noun — A man who is very concerned about his dress and appearance; a dandy, a fop.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • duel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • dueled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • duet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • duetted

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • dull

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • dulled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • dupe

    verb — To swindle, deceive, or trick.

    noun — A person who has been deceived.

    noun — A duplicate.

    verb — To duplicate.

    noun — A duplicate of a photographic image.

    noun — (restaurant industry) A duplicate of an order receipt printed for kitchen staff.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • duped

    verb — To swindle, deceive, or trick.

    verb — To duplicate.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • duple

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • elude

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • eluded

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • etude

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • letup

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • loud

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • loupe

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • lout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • lull

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 19 recorded puzzles.

  • lulled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • lulu

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 19 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.

  • outdo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • outduel

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  • outdueled

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  • outed

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • outlet

    noun — A wall-mounted device such as a socket or receptacle connected to an electrical system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment or appliances.

    noun — A shop that sells the products of a particular manufacturer or supplier.

    noun — A vent or similar passage to allow the escape of something.

    noun — A river that runs out of a lake.

    noun — Something which allows for the release of one's desires.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • outpoll

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • outpolled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • output

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • pollute

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • polluted

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • poult

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • pout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • pouted

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • puddle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • puddled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • pule

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • puled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • pull

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • pulled

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • pullet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • pullout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • pulp

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • pulped

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • puppet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • putout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • putt

    noun — The act of tapping a golf ball lightly on a putting green.

    verb — To lightly strike a golf ball with a putter.

    noun — A regular sound characterized by the sound of "putt putt putt putt...", such as made by some slowly stroking internal combustion engines.

    verb — To make a putting sound.

    verb — To move along slowly.

    noun — A motorcycle.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • putted

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • toupee

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tout

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • touted

    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.

  • tupelo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tutee

    noun — A student of a tutor.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • tutted

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 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.

  • updo

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • upped

    verb — To increase or raise.

    verb — (usually in combination with another verb) To act suddenly.

    verb — To promote.

    verb — To upload.

    verb — To ascend; to climb up.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • de×4
  • du×10
  • el×2
  • et×1
  • le×1
  • lo×3
  • lu×4
  • ou×8
  • po×5
  • pu×14
  • to×3
  • tu×5
  • up×2

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
d 5243·· 14
e ·21··· 3
l 521··· 8
o ·222·2 8
p 52831· 19
t 224··· 8
u 11···· 2
Σ 181320812 62

The numbers

Genius today takes 209 points of 299 available. The average answer runs 5.5 letters.

Total points vs. all 378 recorded puzzles
85th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
87th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 17142 recorded answers

418 today34.5% all-time513 today22.8% all-time620 today20.0% all-time78 today12.1% all-time81 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
d Sunday, May 17, 2026 Friday, April 24, 2026
e Saturday, May 16, 2026 Saturday, March 21, 2026
l Sunday, May 17, 2026 Sunday, May 17, 2026
o Sunday, May 17, 2026 Saturday, April 25, 2026
p Monday, May 18, 2026 Monday, May 18, 2026
t Monday, May 18, 2026 Monday, May 11, 2026
u ● Monday, May 18, 2026 Thursday, April 30, 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.