NYT Spelling Bee Answers — August 21, 2026
All words, pangrams, center letter & Genius score
Below are all 23 answers to the New York Times Spelling Bee for August 21, 2026 (Friday). The honeycomb shows the seven letters with the required U center letter; pangrams are highlighted. Genius is 67 points.
Words23
Max Points95
Pangram1
Genius67
Pangram: GROUNDHOG
All answers, grouped by length
4letter answers10 words
DOURDRUGDUNGGURUHOURHUNGNOUNRUNGUDONUNDO
5letter answers6 words
DOUGHDUNNOGOURDHOUNDROUGHROUND
6letter answers4 words
DUGONGGROUNDUNHOODUNHUNG
7letter answers1 word
NUNHOOD
8letter answers1 word
UNGROUND
9letter answers1 word
GROUNDHOG
How the Spelling Bee works
The New York Times Spelling Bee gives you seven letters arranged in a honeycomb, with one required center letter. Build as many words as you can — every word must be at least four letters long and must use the center letter, and letters can be reused. Find a word that uses all seven letters and you've got a pangram, worth 7 bonus points. Reach the Genius rank by scoring 70% of the day's maximum.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many answers are in the August 21, 2026 Spelling Bee?
There are 23 valid answers worth 95 points, including 1 pangram. Genius requires 67 points.
What is the pangram?
The pangram is GROUNDHOG. Pangrams use all seven letters and earn 7 bonus points.
What is the center letter?
The required center letter is U. Every valid answer must contain it.
How does scoring work?
4-letter words score 1 point; longer words score 1 point per letter; pangrams add 7 bonus points. Genius is 70% of the maximum score.
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