NYT Spelling Bee Answers & Hints — September 16, 2026
- 55Total words
- 248Total points
- 174Genius
- 1Pangram
The pangram for September 16, 2026
Every letter used at least once — worth a bonus 7 points on top of the length score.
Letter by letter
8 letters · tap any tile to reveal just that letter.
Spelling Bee hints for September 16, 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.
- de5
- di1
- do2
- ep2
- ni2
- no1
- op6
- pe12
- pi11
- po8
- we2
- wi3
Word length grid
The most specific spoiler-free hint — hunt a missing word by its length.
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 2 | 1 | 3 | – | 2 | 8 |
| E | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 2 |
| I | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
| N | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 3 |
| O | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | 6 |
| P | 12 | 4 | 12 | – | 3 | 31 |
| W | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 5 |
| Σ | 19 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 55 |
Spelling Bee answers for September 16, 2026
The full word list, grouped by length — pangram first, then longest to shortest. Tap a group to reveal.
P
- pinewood15
8
- deepened8
- depended8
- pinioned8
- pinniped8
- windpipe8
7
- ninepin7
- opinion7
6
- deepen6
- depend6
- dipped6
- nipped6
- opened6
- opined6
- opioid6
- peeped6
- peewee6
- pended6
- penned6
- pepped6
- pinion6
- pinned6
- pippin6
- ponied6
- pooped6
- popped6
- powwow6
- weepie6
5
- doped5
- epode5
- opine5
- penne5
- pewee5
- pined5
- piped5
- wiped5
4
- deep1
- dope1
- epee1
- nope1
- open1
- peed1
- peen1
- peep1
- pend1
- peon1
- pied1
- pine1
- pipe1
- pond1
- pone1
- poop1
- pope1
- weep1
- wipe1
Today's puzzle by the numbers
Difficulty, rank thresholds, pangram etymology and what makes today unusual.
Difficulty
4/ 10
Today is a moderately easy puzzle, with 55 words well above the historical average of 43.9 and a max score of 248 versus the average 202.5 — plenty of scoring opportunities for persistent solvers. The center P is highly productive, pairing naturally with common prefixes and doubled consonants that generate a cascade of familiar words. The main challenge is resisting the temptation to stop early: many obvious short words are here, but the longer, higher-value entries require noticing less common compound and scientific vocabulary. The single pangram should reward solvers who think about the natural world and the letter set together.
Points per rank
| Rank | Points | % |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Bee 👑 | 248 | 100% |
| Genius | 174 | 70% |
| Amazing | 124 | 50% |
| Great | 99 | 40% |
| Nice | 62 | 25% |
| Solid | 37 | 15% |
| Good | 20 | 8% |
| Moving Up | 12 | 5% |
| Good Start | 5 | 2% |
| Beginner | 0 | 0% |
About the pangram
pinewood15 pts
A straightforward Old English compound joining 'pine' (from Latin pinus, the conifer) and 'wudu' (wood/forest); as a common noun it refers to a pine forest or pine timber, and as a proper noun it names countless towns and neighborhoods across the English-speaking world.
Puzzle facts
- Longest word8 letters
- 4-letter words19 of 55
- Pangram bonus+7 points
- Puzzles archived85
Try another puzzle
Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.