The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

CEIKLNT

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Edited by Sam Ezersky

Words
60
Points
291
Genius
203
Pangrams
2

Official answers

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Pangrams highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • cent

    noun — (money) A subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the main unit of currency in many countries. Symbol: ¢.

    noun — The point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference.

    noun — A centigrade temperature scale having the freezing point of water defined as 0° and its boiling point defined as 100° at standard atmospheric pressure. Known as the Celsius scale since 1948.

    noun — (Sanskrit and other Indian philology) satakam, set of one hundred verses connected by the same metre or topic

    noun — A period of 100 consecutive years; often specifically a numbered period with conventional start and end dates, e.g., the twentieth century, which stretches from (strictly) 1901 through 2000, or (informally) 1900 through 1999. The first century AD was from 1 to 100.

    noun — A small sum of money.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • cite

    verb — To quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.

    noun — A citation

    verb — To list the source(s) from which one took information, words or literary or verbal context.

    verb — To summon officially or authoritatively to appear in court.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • client

    noun — A customer, a buyer or receiver of goods or services.

    noun — The role of a computer application or system that requests and/or consumes the services provided by another having the role of server.

    noun — One who receives help or services from a professional such as a lawyer or accountant.

    noun — A person who employs or retains an attorney to represent him or her in any legal matter, or one who merely divulges confidential matters to an attorney while pursuing professional assistance without subsequently retaining the attorney.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • clientele

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • eclectic

    noun — Someone who selects according to the eclectic method.

    adjective — Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.

    adjective — Unrelated and unspecialized; heterogeneous.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • elect

    noun — One chosen or set apart.

    verb — To choose or make a decision (to do something)

    adjective — Who has been elected in a specified post, but has not yet entered office.

    noun — In Calvinist theology, one foreordained to Heaven. In other Christian theologies, someone chosen by God for salvation.

    verb — To choose (a candidate) in an election

    adjective — Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • electee

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • elicit

    verb — To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.

    adjective — Elicited; drawn out; made real; open; evident.

    verb — To draw out, bring out, bring forth (something latent); to obtain information from someone or something.

    verb — To use logic to arrive at truth; to derive by reason

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • elite

    noun — A special group or social class of people which have a superior intellectual, social or economic status as, the elite of society.

    adjective — Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.

    noun — Someone who is among the best at a certain task.

    adjective — Representing the choicest or most select of a group.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • entente

    noun — An informal alliance or friendly understanding between two states.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • entice

    verb — To lure; to attract by arousing desire or hope.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • entitle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • illicit

    noun — A banned or unlawful item.

    adjective — Not approved by law, but not invalid.

    adjective — Breaking social norms.

    adjective — Unlawful.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • incite

    verb — To stir up or excite; to rouse or goad into action.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • inlet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • intel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • intellect

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • intent

    noun — A purpose; something that is intended.

    adjective — Firmly fixed or concentrated on something.

    noun — The state of someone’s mind at the time of committing an offence.

    adjective — Engrossed.

    adjective — Unwavering from a course of action.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • kente

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • kettle

    noun — A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid.

    verb — (of the police) To contain demonstrators in a confined area.

    noun — A kind of fishweir resembling a wattle or fence.

    noun — The quantity held by a kettle.

    noun — A vessel for boiling water for tea.

    noun — A kettle hole, sometimes any pothole.

  • kilt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • kinetic

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • kite

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • kitten

    noun — A young cat, especially before sexual maturity (reached at about seven months).

    verb — To give birth to kittens.

    noun — A young rabbit, rat, hedgehog, squirrel, fox, beaver, badger, etc.

    noun — A moth of the genus Furcula.

    noun — A term of endearment, especially for a woman.

  • knelt

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • knit

    noun — A knitted garment.

    verb — To turn thread or yarn into a piece of fabric by forming loops that are pulled through each other. This can be done by hand with needles or by machine.

    noun — A session of knitting.

    verb — To join closely and firmly together.

    verb — To become closely and firmly joined; become compacted.

    verb — To grow together.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • lenient

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • lent

    noun — A period of the ecclesiastical year preceding Easter, traditionally involving temporary abstention from certain foods and pleasures.

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

    noun — The second term of the academic year at some British schools.

    verb — To make a loan.

    verb — To be suitable or applicable, to fit.

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

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • lentil

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • licit

    adjective — Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.

    adjective — Explicitly established or constituted by law.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • lilt

    noun — A cheerful or melodious accent when speaking.

    noun — Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness.

    noun — A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune.

    verb — To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.

    verb — To utter with spirit, animation, or gaiety; to sing with spirit and liveliness.

    verb — To sing cheerfully, especially in Gaelic.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • linnet

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • lint

    noun — Clinging fuzzy fluff that clings to fabric or accumulates in one's pockets or navel etc.

    verb — To perform a static check on (source code) to detect stylistic or programmatic errors.

    noun — A fine material made by scraping cotton or linen cloth; used for dressing wounds.

    noun — The fibrous coat of thick hairs covering the seeds of the cotton plant.

    noun — Raw cotton ready for baling.

    Appeared in 14 recorded puzzles.

  • lintel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • lite

    noun — Visible electromagnetic radiation. The human eye can typically detect radiation (light) in the wavelength range of about 400 to 750 nanometers. Nearby shorter and longer wavelength ranges, although not visible, are commonly called ultraviolet and infrared light.

    adjective — Having light; bright; clear; not dark or obscure.

    noun — A stone that is not thrown hard enough.

    adjective — Having little or relatively little actual weight; not cumbrous or unwieldy.

    adjective — Light in composition, notably low in fat, calories etc. Most commonly used commercially.

    noun — A little, bit.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • little

    noun — A small amount.

    adjective — Small in size.

    adverb — Not much.

    pronoun — Not much; not a large amount.

    adjective — Insignificant, trivial.

    adjective — Very young.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • littleneck

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • necktie

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • netlike

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • nettle

    noun — Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash.

    verb — Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.

    noun — Certain plants that have spines or prickles:

    noun — Certain non-stinging plants, mostly in the family Lamiaceae, that resemble the species of Urtica:

    noun — Loosely, anything which causes a similarly stinging rash, such as a jellyfish or sea nettle.

    verb — To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.

    Appeared in 10 recorded puzzles.

  • nineteen

    numeral — The cardinal number occurring after eighteen and before twenty, represented in Roman numerals as XIX and in Arabic numerals as 19. It is the last/largest of the "teens".

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • nite

    noun — The period between sunset and sunrise, when a location faces far away from the sun, thus when the sky is dark.

    noun — (Astronomy) The period of darkness beginning at the end of evening astronomical twilight when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon, and ending at the beginning of morning astronomical twilight.

    noun — (Legal) Often defined in the legal system as beginning 30 minutes after sunset, and ending 30 minutes before sunrise.

    noun — An evening or night spent at a particular activity.

    noun — A night (and part of the days before and after it) spent in a place away from home, e.g. a hotel.

    noun — Nightfall.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • teen

    noun — A teenager.

    adjective — Of or having to do with teenagers; teenage

    noun — Grief; sorrow; trouble.

    verb — To excite; to provoke; to vex; to afflict; to injure.

    verb — (provincial) To hedge or fence in; to enclose.

    noun — Vexation; anger; hate.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • telekinetic

    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 12 recorded puzzles.

  • tenet

    noun — An opinion, belief, or principle that is held as absolute truth by someone or especially an organization.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • tent

    noun — A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather.

    verb — To go camping.

    noun — Attention; regard, care.

    verb — To attend to; to heed

    noun — A roll of lint or linen, or a conical or cylindrical piece of sponge or other absorbent, used chiefly to dilate a natural canal, to keep open the orifice of a wound, or to absorb discharges.

    verb — (sometimes figurative) To probe or to search with a tent; to keep open with a tent.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • tick

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • ticket

    noun — A pass entitling the holder to admission to a show, concert, etc.

    verb — To issue someone a ticket, as for travel or for a violation of a local or traffic law.

    noun — A pass entitling the holder to board a train, a bus, a plane, or other means of transportation

    noun — A citation for a traffic violation.

    noun — A permit to operate a machine on a construction site.

    noun — A service request, used to track complaints or requests that an issue be handled. (Generally technical support related).

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • tickle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tiki

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 5 recorded puzzles.

  • tile

    noun — A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc.

    verb — To cover with tiles.

    verb — To protect from the intrusion of the uninitiated.

    noun — A rectangular graphic.

    noun — Any of various flat cuboid playing pieces used in certain games, such as dominoes, Scrabble, or mahjong.

    noun — A stiff hat.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • till

    preposition — Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).

    conjunction — Until, until the time that.

    noun — A cash register.

    noun — A removable box within a cash register containing the money.

    noun — The contents of a cash register, for example at the beginning or end of the day or of a cashier's shift.

    verb — To work or cultivate or plough (soil); to prepare for growing vegetation and crops.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • tilt

    verb — To slope or incline (something); to slant.

    verb — To be at an angle.

    noun — A slope or inclination.

    noun — The inclination of part of the body, such as backbone, pelvis, head, etc.

    verb — To play worse than usual (often as a result of previous bad luck or losses).

    noun — The controlled vertical movement of a camera, or a device to achieve this.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • tinct

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 16 recorded puzzles.

  • tine

    noun — A spike or point on an implement or tool, especially a prong of a fork or a tooth of a comb.

    adjective — Small, diminutive

    noun — Trouble; distress; teen.

    verb — To kindle; to set on fire.

    verb — To shut in, or enclose.

    noun — A small branch, especially on an antler or horn.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • tinkle

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • tint

    verb — To shade, to color.

    noun — A slight coloring.

    noun — A pale or faint tinge of any color; especially, a variation of a color obtained by adding white (contrast shade)

    noun — A color considered with reference to other very similar colors.

    noun — A shaded effect in engraving, produced by the juxtaposition of many fine parallel lines.

    Appeared in 23 recorded puzzles.

  • title

    noun — A prefix (honorific) or suffix (post-nominal) added to a person's name to signify either veneration, official position or a professional or academic qualification. See also

    verb — To assign a title to; to entitle.

    noun — Legal right to ownership of a property; a deed or other certificate proving this.

    noun — In canon law, that by which a beneficiary holds a benefice.

    noun — A church to which a priest was ordained, and where he was to reside.

    noun — The name of a book, film, musical piece, painting, or other work of art.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

  • tittle

    noun — A small, insignificant amount (of something); a modicum or speck.

    verb — To chatter.

    noun — Any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j.

    Appeared in 11 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • ce×1
  • ci×1
  • cl×2
  • ec×1
  • el×4
  • en×3
  • il×1
  • in×5
  • ke×2
  • ki×4
  • kn×2
  • le×3
  • li×8
  • ne×3
  • ni×2
  • te×5
  • ti×13

Words by first letter and length

4567891011Σ
c 2·1··1·· 4
e ·2231··· 8
i ·221·1·· 6
k 3221···· 8
l 4141··1· 11
n 1·121··· 5
t 1034····1 18
Σ 20101682211 60

The numbers

Genius today takes 203 points of 291 available. The average answer runs 5.6 letters.

Total points vs. all 436 recorded puzzles
83rd percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
83rd percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 19742 recorded answers

420 today34.4% all-time510 today22.9% all-time616 today20.1% all-time78 today12.1% all-time82 today6.2% all-time92 today2.6% all-time101 today1.2% all-time111 today0.3% all-time120.1% all-time130.0% all-time

History

Today's letters, last seen

LetterLast in a puzzleLast as center
c Sunday, August 30, 2026 Sunday, August 16, 2026
e Sunday, August 30, 2026 Sunday, August 30, 2026
i Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Saturday, August 22, 2026
k Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Wednesday, August 26, 2026
l Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Monday, August 31, 2026
n Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Monday, August 24, 2026
t ● Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Saturday, August 29, 2026

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 45
  2. naan 35
  3. nana 35
  4. toot 32
  5. onion 31
  6. loll 30
  7. mama 28
  8. mamma 28
  9. acacia 26
  10. acai 26
  11. nene 26
  12. mini 25
  13. minim 25
  14. cocoon 24
  15. imam 24
  16. maim 24
  17. onto 24
  18. toon 24
  19. loon 24
  20. olio 24
  21. lilt 23
  22. till 23
  23. tilt 23
  24. aria 23
  25. mitt 23

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.