NYT Spelling Bee Hints and Answers (January 14, 2026)
Posted inQuizzes & Puzzles

NYT Spelling Bee Hints and Answers (January 14, 2026)

Edited by Sam Ezersky

Today’s NYT Spelling Bee is a satisfying mix of quick four-letter finds and a handful of longer “unlock-the-board” words. If you’re circling the hive and feeling like you’ve hit a wall, the trick is usually the same: lean into the center letter and build off repeatable patterns.

Below you’ll 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 .

Today’s 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 you’re stuck, hunt for repeating-letter patterns (think double O) and short everyday nouns first.
  • The pangram is a real “aha” word — once you see it, a lot of other options start appearing quickly.

Answers (click to reveal)

Click to reveal today’s 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 today’s 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 — grab a few four-letter words to rebuild rhythm, then return to longer constructions where the points climb fast.

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