The Unofficial Hive

NYT Spelling Bee answers & analysis

EGILNWH

Monday, October 19, 2026

Edited by Sam Ezersky

Words
31
Points
153
Genius
107
Pangram
1

Official answers

Show the 31 answersHide answers

Pangram highlighted. Click a word for its definition.

  • ghee

    noun — A type of clarified butter used in South Asian cooking; usli ghee.

    noun — Vegetable oil for cooking.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • heel

    noun — The rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg.

    verb — To follow at somebody's heels; to chase closely.

    noun — The act of inclining or canting from a vertical position; a cant.

    verb — To incline to one side; to tilt.

    verb — To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.

    verb — To hide, conceal, and keep secret, especially for a secret society (such as the masons).

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • heeling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • heinie

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • hell

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 9 recorded puzzles.

  • henge

    noun — A prehistoric enclosure in the form of a circle or circular arc defined by a raised circular bank and a circular ditch usually running inside the bank, with one or more entrances leading into the enclosed open space.

    Appeared in 7 recorded puzzles.

  • hewing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • hewn

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • high

    noun — A high point or position, literally or figuratively; an elevated place; a superior region; a height; the sky; heaven.

    verb — To rise.

    adjective — Very elevated; extending or being far above a base; tall; lofty.

    adverb — In or to an elevated position.

    noun — Thought; intention; determination; purpose.

    verb — To hie; to hasten.

    Appeared in 8 recorded puzzles.

  • hill

    noun — An elevated location smaller than a mountain.

    verb — To form into a heap or mound.

    noun — A sloping road.

    noun — A heap of earth surrounding a plant.

    noun — A single cluster or group of plants growing close together, and having the earth heaped up about them.

    noun — The pitcher’s mound.

    Appeared in 12 recorded puzzles.

  • hilling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • hinge

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • hinging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • neigh

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • neighing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • nigh

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 6 recorded puzzles.

  • weigh

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • weighing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • whee

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • wheel

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • wheelie

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • wheeling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • when

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • whew

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 3 recorded puzzles.

  • while

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • whiling

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

  • whine

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • whinge

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • whingeing

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 2 recorded puzzles.

  • whinging

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

  • whining

    No cached definition. Look it up on Wiktionary.

    Appeared in 4 recorded puzzles.

Hints, no spoilers

Words by first two letters

  • gh×1
  • he×7
  • hi×5
  • ne×2
  • ni×1
  • we×2
  • wh×13

Words by first letter and length

456789Σ
g 1····· 1
h 5223·· 12
n 11··1· 3
w 341331 15
Σ 1073641 31

The numbers

Genius today takes 107 points of 153 available. The average answer runs 5.7 letters.

Total points vs. all 477 recorded puzzles
25th percentile
Word count vs. all recorded puzzles
17th percentile

Word lengths, today vs. 21599 recorded answers

410 today34.3% all-time57 today22.8% all-time63 today20.2% all-time76 today12.2% all-time84 today6.3% all-time91 today2.6% 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
e Sunday, October 18, 2026 Wednesday, October 14, 2026
g Friday, October 16, 2026 Friday, October 16, 2026
h ● Monday, October 12, 2026 Thursday, October 1, 2026
i Sunday, October 18, 2026 Sunday, October 18, 2026
l Saturday, October 17, 2026 Monday, August 31, 2026
n Sunday, October 18, 2026 Thursday, October 15, 2026
w Sunday, October 4, 2026 Saturday, June 27, 2026

Most common answers, all recorded puzzles

  1. noon 47
  2. naan 40
  3. nana 40
  4. onion 34
  5. toot 33
  6. acacia 30
  7. acai 30
  8. loll 30
  9. mama 30
  10. mamma 30
  11. nene 29
  12. mini 28
  13. minim 28
  14. cancan 27
  15. canna 27
  16. imam 26
  17. maim 26
  18. onto 26
  19. toon 26
  20. tint 26
  21. cocoon 25
  22. lilt 25
  23. till 25
  24. tilt 25
  25. mitt 25

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.