Edited by Sam Ezersky
Todayâs NYT Spelling Bee is a satisfying mix of quick four-letter finds and a handful of longer âunlock-the-boardâ words. If youâre circling the hive and feeling like youâve hit a wall, the trick is usually the same: lean into the center letter and build off repeatable patterns.
Below youâll find spoiler-free hints first. After that, the pangram and the full answer list are hidden behind click-to-reveal sections so you can stop whenever you want.
Prefer to play it fresh before spoilers? Open the official puzzle here: New York Times Spelling Bee .
Todayâs letters (spoiler-light)
Center letter: O
Other letters: A, B, C, E, L, P
Spelling Bee hints (no spoilers)
- Every valid word must include the center letter O, and words must be at least 4 letters.
- Today rewards building around common clusters like CO- and -LO-.
- If youâre stuck, hunt for repeating-letter patterns (think double O) and short everyday nouns first.
- The pangram is a real âahaâ word â once you see it, a lot of other options start appearing quickly.
Answers (click to reveal)
Click to reveal todayâs pangram
PLACEBO
Pangram tip: once you spot PLACEBO, scan for shorter words that reuse the same core letters (especially O + L + A patterns).
Click to reveal the full answer list
4-letter words
ALOE ⢠BOBA ⢠BOLA ⢠BOLL ⢠BOOP ⢠CAPO ⢠CLOP ⢠COAL ⢠COCA ⢠COLA ⢠COOL ⢠COOP ⢠COPE ⢠ELOPE ⢠LOBE ⢠LOBO ⢠LOCO ⢠LOLL ⢠POLO ⢠POOL ⢠POOP ⢠POPE
5-letter words
BEBOP ⢠BLOB ⢠BLOC ⢠BLOOP ⢠BOCCE ⢠BOLO ⢠BOOB ⢠BOOBOO ⢠BOBBLE ⢠CACAO ⢠CELLO ⢠COCOA ⢠COBBLE ⢠COLLAB ⢠LOCAL ⢠LOCALE ⢠LOLLOP ⢠PEOPLE
6+ letter words (including the pangram)
BAOBAB ⢠CLOACA ⢠ALCOPOP ⢠ALLOCABLE ⢠CALLALOO ⢠PLACEBO
Short about todayâs puzzle
The January 14, 2026 Spelling Bee grid is built for momentum: once you land the pangram, the hive opens up into multiple word families that share the same core letters. If your score stalls, switch tactics â grab a few four-letter words to rebuild rhythm, then return to longer constructions where the points climb fast.
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