NYT Spelling Bee Answers & Hints — August 18, 2026
- 42Total words
- 228Total points
- 160Genius
- 2Pangrams
The pangram for August 18, 2026
Every letter used at least once — worth a bonus 7 points on top of the length score.
Letter by letter
10 letters · tap any tile to reveal just that letter.
Spelling Bee hints for August 18, 2026
Three levels of help, gentlest first — take only as much as you need. Skip straight to the answers →
Words per starting letter
The gentlest nudge — which letters do the heavy lifting today.
Two-letter tally
How many words start with each pair — if a pair isn't here, nothing starts with it.
- ab1
- ba19
- be13
- da1
- eb1
- ga1
- ha1
- he4
- na1
Word length grid
The most specific spoiler-free hint — hunt a missing word by its length.
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| B | 10 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 3 | – | – | 32 |
| D | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| E | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| G | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| H | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | 5 |
| N | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Σ | 11 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 5 | – | 1 | 42 |
Spelling Bee answers for August 18, 2026
The full word list, grouped by length — pangram first, then longest to shortest. Tap a group to reveal.
P
- headbanged17
- headbang15
8
- bandaged8
- bandanna8
- beheaded8
- headband8
7
- baggage7
- bandage7
- bandana7
- beanbag7
- bedhead7
- handbag7
- henbane7
6
- badged6
- bagged6
- banana6
- banded6
- banged6
- banned6
- beaded6
- beaned6
- bedded6
- begged6
- behead6
- dabbed6
- gabbed6
- nabbed6
5
- baaed5
- badge5
- began5
- ebbed5
4
- abed1
- baba1
- babe1
- bade1
- band1
- bane1
- bang1
- bead1
- bean1
- been1
- bend1
Today's puzzle by the numbers
Difficulty, rank thresholds, pangram etymology and what makes today unusual.
Difficulty
4/ 10
A friendly Tuesday puzzle that leans accessible. With 42 words against a historical average of about 44, the list is right-sized, and the center letter anchors a large family of common compound-style words that should feel intuitive once solvers find their footing. The two pangrams share a root, so cracking one essentially hands you the other — a rare gift. The main challenge is remembering a few less-common botanical and archaic terms tucked into the mid-length tier.
Points per rank
| Rank | Points | % |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Bee 👑 | 228 | 100% |
| Genius | 160 | 70% |
| Amazing | 114 | 50% |
| Great | 91 | 40% |
| Nice | 57 | 25% |
| Solid | 34 | 15% |
| Good | 18 | 8% |
| Moving Up | 11 | 5% |
| Good Start | 5 | 2% |
| Beginner | 0 | 0% |
About the pangram
headbanged17 pts
The simple past of HEADBANG, itself a back-formation from 'headbanging,' the vigorous rhythmic head-thrashing associated with heavy metal music; the practice and its vocabulary emerged in the late 1960s–70s alongside bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, with the verb form gradually earning dictionary recognition as the genre's cultural footprint grew.
Puzzle facts
- Longest word10 letters
- 4-letter words11 of 42
- Pangram bonus+7 points
- Puzzles archived85
Try another puzzle
Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.