NYT Spelling Bee Answers & Hints — September 2, 2026
- 31Total words
- 138Total points
- 97Genius
- 2Pangrams
The pangram for September 2, 2026
Every letter used at least once — worth a bonus 7 points on top of the length score.
Letter by letter
9 letters · tap any tile to reveal just that letter.
Spelling Bee hints for September 2, 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
- an1
- fa5
- fi6
- fl8
- in2
- li1
- na1
- pf1
- pi2
- pl1
- ti1
Word length grid
The most specific spoiler-free hint — hunt a missing word by its length.
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | 3 |
| F | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | 19 |
| I | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| L | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| N | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| P | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 4 |
| T | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Σ | 13 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 31 |
Spelling Bee answers for September 2, 2026
The full word list, grouped by length — pangram first, then longest to shortest. Tap a group to reveal.
P
- plaintiff16
- flippant15
7
- affiant7
- alfalfa7
- fantail7
- pitfall7
6
- antifa6
- filial6
- fillip6
- finial6
- infant6
- infill6
5
- faint5
- fatal5
- final5
- flail5
- flint5
- pilaf5
4
- fail1
- fall1
- fiat1
- fill1
- flan1
- flap1
- flat1
- flip1
- flit1
- lift1
- naif1
- pfft1
- tiff1
Today's puzzle by the numbers
Difficulty, rank thresholds, pangram etymology and what makes today unusual.
Difficulty
6/ 10
Today's puzzle is moderately challenging, leaning toward the harder side of average. With only 31 words against a historical average of roughly 44, the list is lean — but that also means fewer obscure fillers to chase. The two pangrams are the real test: both are long, double-letter-heavy words that require spotting repeated consonants, which is notoriously tricky. The bright spot is a generous cluster of short, common four- and five-letter words that can pad your score before you tackle the harder finds.
Points per rank
| Rank | Points | % |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Bee 👑 | 138 | 100% |
| Genius | 97 | 70% |
| Amazing | 69 | 50% |
| Great | 55 | 40% |
| Nice | 35 | 25% |
| Solid | 21 | 15% |
| Good | 11 | 8% |
| Moving Up | 7 | 5% |
| Good Start | 3 | 2% |
| Beginner | 0 | 0% |
About the pangram
plaintiff16 pts
From Old French 'plaintif,' meaning 'complaining' or 'lamenting,' derived from 'plainte' (complaint), itself from Latin 'planctus' (lamentation). The word entered Middle English legal usage in the 15th century to denote the party who initiates a lawsuit — the one lodging the complaint.
Puzzle facts
- Longest word9 letters
- 4-letter words13 of 31
- Pangram bonus+7 points
- Puzzles archived85
Try another puzzle
Two more NazoKai hints, ready when you are.