Spelling Bee hints & answers: Sep 16, 2026 (Puzzle #20283)

This page shows spoiler-layered hints and full answers for the NYT Spelling Bee hive published on Sep 16, 2026 (2026-09-16 · Puzzle #20283).

Hive overview

This hive centers on P with six outer letters. It has 55 stored words, 1 pangram, and about 248 available points before rank thresholds.

Show structure hint

This hive has 55 playable words worth about 248 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):

	4	5	6	7+	Σ
P	4 letters12	5 letters4	6 letters12	7+ letters3	Total31
D	4 letters2	5 letters1	6 letters3	7+ letters2	Total8
E	4 letters1	5 letters1	6 letters–	7+ letters–	Total2
I	4 letters–	5 letters–	6 letters–	7+ letters–	Total0
N	4 letters1	5 letters–	6 letters1	7+ letters1	Total3
O	4 letters1	5 letters1	6 letters3	7+ letters1	Total6
W	4 letters2	5 letters1	6 letters1	7+ letters1	Total5
Σ	4 letters19	5 letters8	6 letters20	7+ letters8	Total55

Approximate rank thresholds for this hive:

Good Start: 0 pts
Moving Up: 5 pts
Good: 12 pts
Solid: 20 pts
Nice: 37 pts
Great: 62 pts
Amazing: 99 pts
Genius: 174 pts
Queen Bee: 248 pts

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

Show two-letter and length counts

Counts use the available unique accepted answers; they do not add dictionary guesses.

By length: 4 letters: 19 · 5 letters: 8 · 6 letters: 20 · 7 letters: 2 · 8 letters: 6

By first two letters: DE: 5 · DI: 1 · DO: 2 · EP: 2 · NI: 2 · NO: 1 · OP: 6 · PE: 12 · PI: 11 · PO: 8 · WE: 2 · WI: 3

Pangram 1

Show length and score

8 letters; worth 15 points. Some hive letters appear more than once.

Show letter pattern

The pangram starts with P and ends with D: P••••••D.

Reveal this pangram

PINEWOOD

Show score and letter coverage

PINEWOOD: 8 letter points + 7 pangram bonus = 15 points. Uses all seven letters: D, E, I, N, O, P, W.

Reveal full answer list (spoiler)

Full answer list for this hive (alphabetical):

WordLengthScorePangram

DEEP
4
1
No
DEEPEN
6
6
No
DEEPENED
8
8
No
DEPEND
6
6
No
DEPENDED
8
8
No
DIPPED
6
6
No
DOPE
4
1
No
DOPED
5
5
No
EPEE
4
1
No
EPODE
5
5
No
NINEPIN
7
7
No
NIPPED
6
6
No
NOPE
4
1
No
OPEN
4
1
No
OPENED
6
6
No
OPINE
5
5
No
OPINED
6
6
No
OPINION
7
7
No
OPIOID
6
6
No
PEED
4
1
No
PEEN
4
1
No
PEEP
4
1
No
PEEPED
6
6
No
PEEWEE
6
6
No
PEND
4
1
No
PENDED
6
6
No
PENNE
5
5
No
PENNED
6
6
No
PEON
4
1
No
PEPPED
6
6
No
PEWEE
5
5
No
PIED
4
1
No
PINE
4
1
No
PINED
5
5
No
PINEWOOD
8
15
Yes
PINION
6
6
No
PINIONED
8
8
No
PINNED
6
6
No
PINNIPED
8
8
No
PIPE
4
1
No
PIPED
5
5
No
PIPPIN
6
6
No
POND
4
1
No
PONE
4
1
No
PONIED
6
6
No
POOP
4
1
No
POOPED
6
6
No
POPE
4
1
No
POPPED
6
6
No
POWWOW
6
6
No
WEEP
4
1
No
WEEPIE
6
6
No
WINDPIPE
8
8
No
WIPE
4
1
No
WIPED
5
5
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.

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

Today's hintsSee hive structure, rank cues, and spoiler-layered help.Spelling Bee archiveJump to stored hives by NYT print date.Previous hive: Sep 15, 2026Open the stored hive from Sep 15, 2026 · Puzzle #25062.Next hive: Sep 17, 2026Open the stored hive from Sep 17, 2026 · Puzzle #26068.