NYT Spelling Bee Answers & Hints — July 21, 2026
- 25Total words
- 119Total points
- 83Genius
- 1Pangram
The pangram for July 21, 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 July 21, 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.
- af1
- al1
- ba1
- bi1
- fa4
- fi7
- fl6
- if1
- in2
- 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 | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| B | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 2 |
| F | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 17 |
| I | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 3 |
| L | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| N | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Y | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| Σ | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | 1 | 25 |
Spelling Bee answers for July 21, 2026
The full word list, grouped by length — pangram first, then longest to shortest. Tap a group to reveal.
P
- infallibly17
8
- fallibly8
- filially8
7
- affably7
- alfalfa7
- bailiff7
- finally7
6
- filial6
- finial6
- flabby6
- infill6
5
- fanny5
- filly5
- final5
- flail5
- flyby5
4
- biff1
- fail1
- fall1
- fill1
- flab1
- flan1
- flay1
- iffy1
- naif1
Today's puzzle by the numbers
Difficulty, rank thresholds, pangram etymology and what makes today unusual.
Difficulty
7/ 10
This is a genuinely tough puzzle despite its tidy appearance. With only 25 words against a historical average of around 44, the answer list is unusually lean, meaning solvers have fewer footholds and less room to stumble onto points by accident. The double-letter-heavy letter set rewards solvers who think in terms of repeated consonants, but that same quirk makes the single pangram quite difficult to construct without a systematic approach. A handful of the longer words are uncommon enough in everyday writing to feel like traps rather than gifts.
Points per rank
| Rank | Points | % |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Bee 👑 | 119 | 100% |
| Genius | 83 | 70% |
| Amazing | 60 | 50% |
| Great | 48 | 40% |
| Nice | 30 | 25% |
| Solid | 18 | 15% |
| Good | 10 | 8% |
| Moving Up | 6 | 5% |
| Good Start | 2 | 2% |
| Beginner | 0 | 0% |
About the pangram
infallibly17 pts
From Medieval Latin 'infallibilis' (not liable to err), built on the prefix 'in-' (not) plus Late Latin 'fallibilis' (capable of deceiving or failing), itself from 'fallere' (to deceive, disappoint). The adverbial form entered English in the 17th century, often in theological contexts about papal authority before broadening to general use.
Puzzle facts
- Longest word10 letters
- 4-letter words9 of 25
- Pangram bonus+7 points
- Puzzles archived30
Try another puzzle
Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.