Spelling Bee hints & answers: Dec 15, 2025 (Puzzle #11588)

This page shows spoiler‑layered hints and full answers for the NYT Spelling Bee hive published on Dec 15, 2025 (2025-12-15 · Puzzle #11588).

Hive overview

This hive centers on I with six outer letters. It has 35 stored words, 1 pangram, and about 215 available points before rank thresholds.

A
F
G
I
N
U
W
Show structure hint

This hive has 35 playable words worth about 215 points in total. Aim to unlock the pangram and a few long words early to get ahead of the ranking curve.

There is 1 pangram hidden in this hive.

Show word-count hints

Word count matrix (starting letter × length):

I
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters2
7+ letters
Total2
A
4 letters
5 letters3
6 letters2
7+ letters
Total5
F
4 letters
5 letters1
6 letters2
7+ letters2
Total5
G
4 letters1
5 letters
6 letters
7+ letters9
Total10
N
4 letters1
5 letters
6 letters
7+ letters1
Total2
U
4 letters
5 letters
6 letters
7+ letters
Total0
W
4 letters2
5 letters
6 letters4
7+ letters5
Total11
Σ
4 letters4
5 letters4
6 letters10
7+ letters17
Total35

Approximate rank thresholds for this hive:

  • Good Start: 0 pts
  • Moving Up: 4 pts
  • Good: 11 pts
  • Solid: 17 pts
  • Nice: 32 pts
  • Great: 54 pts
  • Amazing: 86 pts
  • Genius: 151 pts
  • Queen Bee: 215 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):

  • AGAIN
    5
    5
    No
  • AGING
    5
    5
    No
  • ANGINA
    6
    6
    No
  • AWING
    5
    5
    No
  • AWNING
    6
    6
    No
  • FANNING
    7
    7
    No
  • FAWNING
    7
    7
    No
  • FIFING
    6
    6
    No
  • FINING
    6
    6
    No
  • FUNGI
    5
    5
    No
  • GAGGING
    7
    7
    No
  • GAIN
    4
    1
    No
  • GAINING
    7
    7
    No
  • GANGING
    7
    7
    No
  • GAUGING
    7
    7
    No
  • GIGGING
    7
    7
    No
  • GINNING
    7
    7
    No
  • GNAWING
    7
    7
    No
  • GUFFAWING
    9
    16
    Yes
  • GUNNING
    7
    7
    No
  • IGUANA
    6
    6
    No
  • INNING
    6
    6
    No
  • NAGGING
    7
    7
    No
  • NAIF
    4
    1
    No
  • WAGGING
    7
    7
    No
  • WAGING
    6
    6
    No
  • WAIF
    4
    1
    No
  • WANING
    6
    6
    No
  • WIGGING
    7
    7
    No
  • WIGWAG
    6
    6
    No
  • WIGWAGGING
    10
    10
    No
  • WING
    4
    1
    No
  • WINGING
    7
    7
    No
  • WINING
    6
    6
    No
  • WINNING
    7
    7
    No

Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head back to Today's Spelling Bee hints, browse the Spelling Bee archive, or use the word finder and pangram helper.

Move between Spelling Bee dates

Jump back to today, open the archive, or step to the next stored hive when a nearby date is available.