Today’s Spelling Bee hints & answers

Use this page when you're close to your next rank in NYT Spelling Bee but don't want a full spoiler. We start with hive structure and pangram hints, then gradually move toward full answers only if you really need them.

Hive overview

This hive centers on B with six outer letters. It has 42 stored words, 2 pangrams, and about 228 available points before rank thresholds.

A
D
E
B
G
H
N
Show structure hint

This hive has 42 playable words worth about 228 points in total. Aim to unlock the pangram and a few long words early to get ahead of the ranking curve.

There are 2 pangrams hidden in this hive.

Show word-count hints

Word count matrix (starting letter × length):

B
4 letters10
5 letters3
6 letters11
7+ letters8
Total32
A
4 letters1
5 letters
6 letters
7+ letters
Total1
D
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters1
7+ letters
Total1
E
4 letters
5 letters1
6 letters
7+ letters
Total1
G
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters1
7+ letters
Total1
H
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters
7+ letters5
Total5
N
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters1
7+ letters
Total1
Σ
4 letters11
5 letters4
6 letters14
7+ letters13
Total42

Approximate rank thresholds for this hive:

  • Good Start: 0 pts
  • Moving Up: 5 pts
  • Good: 11 pts
  • Solid: 18 pts
  • Nice: 34 pts
  • Great: 57 pts
  • Amazing: 91 pts
  • Genius: 160 pts
  • Queen Bee: 228 pts

Check your current score in the NYT game to see how close you are to each rank.

Reveal full answer list (spoiler)

Full answer list for today's hive (alphabetical):

  • ABED
    4
    1
    No
  • BAAED
    5
    5
    No
  • BABA
    4
    1
    No
  • BABE
    4
    1
    No
  • BADE
    4
    1
    No
  • BADGE
    5
    5
    No
  • BADGED
    6
    6
    No
  • BAGGAGE
    7
    7
    No
  • BAGGED
    6
    6
    No
  • BANANA
    6
    6
    No
  • BAND
    4
    1
    No
  • BANDAGE
    7
    7
    No
  • BANDAGED
    8
    8
    No
  • BANDANA
    7
    7
    No
  • BANDANNA
    8
    8
    No
  • BANDED
    6
    6
    No
  • BANE
    4
    1
    No
  • BANG
    4
    1
    No
  • BANGED
    6
    6
    No
  • BANNED
    6
    6
    No
  • BEAD
    4
    1
    No
  • BEADED
    6
    6
    No
  • BEAN
    4
    1
    No
  • BEANBAG
    7
    7
    No
  • BEANED
    6
    6
    No
  • BEDDED
    6
    6
    No
  • BEDHEAD
    7
    7
    No
  • BEEN
    4
    1
    No
  • BEGAN
    5
    5
    No
  • BEGGED
    6
    6
    No
  • BEHEAD
    6
    6
    No
  • BEHEADED
    8
    8
    No
  • BEND
    4
    1
    No
  • DABBED
    6
    6
    No
  • EBBED
    5
    5
    No
  • GABBED
    6
    6
    No
  • HANDBAG
    7
    7
    No
  • HEADBAND
    8
    8
    No
  • HEADBANG
    8
    15
    Yes
  • HEADBANGED
    10
    17
    Yes
  • HENBANE
    7
    7
    No
  • NABBED
    6
    6
    No

Today's puzzle date (NYT print date): Aug 18, 2026 (2026-08-18 · Puzzle #19513).

Xfire treats Spelling Bee as a New York print-date puzzle, so this page does not shift by your local timezone.

For older hives, browse the Spelling Bee hints & answers archive. For pangram-only coaching, use the pangram helper. To filter every answer, open the word finder.

More Spelling Bee routes

Start from the family hub, then move between today's hints, the archive, the pangram helper, and the full word finder.