NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 18, 2025
Game Summary
| Center Letter | F |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, g, i, l, n, u |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 48 words |
| Total Points | 273 points |
| Genius Level | 191 points |
| Bingo? | Yes |
Table of Contents
As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!
- Spelling Bee Grid
- Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
- Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
- Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
- Today's Complete Solution
- Answer Definitions
If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).
Spelling Bee Grid
The following table shows the standard Spelling Bee summary grid, which lists word lengths across the top and letters down the left-hand side. The cell where the word lengths and letters intersect displays the number of words in today's puzzle with the corresponding first letter and word length.
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| F | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 35 |
| G | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| I | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| L | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| N | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| U | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | Σ | 14 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 48 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AL×1 |
|---|---|
| F | FA×9 FI×9 FL×11 FU×6 |
| G | GA×2 GU×2 |
| I | IN×2 |
| L | LU×2 |
| N | NA×1 |
| U | UN×3 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ALF×1 |
|---|---|
| F | FAI×2 FAL×2 FAN×2 FAU×3 FIF×1 FIL×4 FIN×4 FLA×6 FLI×2 FLU×3 FUG×1 FUL×3 FUN×2 |
| G | GAF×1 GAI×1 GUF×1 GUL×1 |
| I | INF×2 |
| L | LUF×1 LUN×1 |
| N | NAI×1 |
| U | UNF×3 |
Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing)
The table below lists all of the solutions to today's puzzle, but they're concealed. You can click the plus button (+) to reveal additional letters, one-by-one.
Concealed definitions are provided as additional clues. You can toggle concealment of the definitions by clicking on the concealer bar or the text that appears when the definition is visible.
Pangrams are marked with a dagger symbol (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| ga..... † | GA7 | Contrary. |
| un....... † | UN9 | inexhaustible |
| un........ † | UN10 | Never tiring or lacking energy; without rest; without slowing. |
| al..... | AL7 | A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop. |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be unsuccessful. |
| fa..... | FA7 | present participle of fail |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity. |
| fa..... | FA7 | present participle of fall |
| fa.. | FA4 | a long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh |
| fa..... | FA7 | present participle of fan |
| fa.. | FA4 | A woodland creature with pointed ears, legs, and short horns of a goat and a fondness for unrestrained revelry. |
| fa... | FA5 | Animals considered as a group; especially those of a particular country, region, time. |
| fa.... | FA6 | Pertaining to animals. |
| fi.... | FI6 | present participle of fife |
| fi.... | FI6 | Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter. |
| fi.... | FI6 | Any particle that has been removed by a file or similar implement; a shaving. |
| fi.. | FI4 | To occupy fully, to take up all of. |
| fi..... | FI7 | present participle of fill |
| fi....... | FI9 | present participle of finagle |
| fi... | FI5 | A final examination; a test or examination given at the end of a term or class; the test that concludes a class. |
| fi.... | FI6 | The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture. |
| fi.... | FI6 | present participle of fine |
| fl.. | FL4 | A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol. |
| fl...... | FL8 | present participle of flag |
| fl... | FL5 | A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material. |
| fl...... | FL8 | present participle of flail |
| fl.. | FL4 | Baked tart with sweet or savoury filling in an open-topped pastry case. |
| fl...... | FL8 | A flange. |
| fl... | FL5 | An act of throwing, often violently. |
| fl...... | FL8 | present participle of fling |
| fl... | FL5 | Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers. |
| fl...... | FL8 | present participle of fluff |
| fl... | FL5 | simple past tense and past participle of fling |
| fu.. | FU4 | Blowfish: a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins. |
| fu..... | FU7 | To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.). |
| fu........ | FU10 | Which causes fulfilment; emotionally or artistically satisfying. |
| fu.. | FU4 | Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available. |
| fu.... | FU6 | Of or pertaining to a fungus or fungi. |
| fu... | FU5 | Spongy, abnormal growth, as granulation tissue formed in a wound. |
| ga.. | GA4 | A tool consisting of a large metal hook with a handle or pole, especially the one used to pull large fish aboard a boat. |
| gu.. | GU4 | Nonsensical talk or thinking. |
| gu.. | GU4 | A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin. |
| in.... | IN6 | To fill in a space, hole or gap. |
| in....... | IN9 | present participle of infill |
| lu.. | LU4 | The vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind. |
| lu..... | LU7 | As much as the lungs will hold. |
| na.. | NA4 | Alternative spelling of naïf. |
| un.......... | UN12 | Not producing fulfillment or a sense of accomplishment; unsatisfying. |
Today's Complete Solution
The words that follow are a complete listing of all acceptable words in today's New York Time Spelling Bee puzzle.
Next to the answer word you'll see the two-letter reference (2L Ref) in parentheses. We added that 2L Ref for easier translation of the spoiler-avoidant language you see on the Spelling Bee Forum and Twitter. The 2L Ref signifies a word's two start letters followed by the total number of letters in the word.
- gainful† (GA7)
- unfailing† (UN9)
- unflagging† (UN10)
- alfalfa (AL7)
- fail (FA4)
- failing (FA7)
- fall (FA4)
- falling (FA7)
- fang (FA4)
- fanning (FA7)
- faun (FA4)
- fauna (FA5)
- faunal (FA6)
- fifing (FI6)
- filial (FI6)
- filing (FI6)
- fill (FI4)
- filling (FI7)
- finagling (FI9)
- final (FI5)
- finial (FI6)
- fining (FI6)
- flag (FL4)
- flagging (FL8)
- flail (FL5)
- flailing (FL8)
- flan (FL4)
- flanging (FL8)
- fling (FL5)
- flinging (FL8)
- fluff (FL5)
- fluffing (FL8)
- flung (FL5)
- fugu (FU4)
- fulfill (FU7)
- fulfilling (FU10)
- full (FU4)
- fungal (FU6)
- fungi (FU5)
- gaff (GA4)
- guff (GU4)
- gulf (GU4)
- infill (IN6)
- infilling (IN9)
- luff (LU4)
- lungful (LU7)
- naif (NA4)
- unfulfilling (UN12)
Answer Definitions
- gainful† (adjective): Contrary.
- unfailing† (adjective): inexhaustible
- unflagging† (adjective): Never tiring or lacking energy; without rest; without slowing.
- alfalfa (noun): A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.
- fail (verb): To be unsuccessful.
- failing (verb): present participle of fail
- fall (verb): To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
- falling (verb): present participle of fall
- fang (noun): a long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh
- fanning (verb): present participle of fan
- faun (noun): A woodland creature with pointed ears, legs, and short horns of a goat and a fondness for unrestrained revelry.
- fauna (noun): Animals considered as a group; especially those of a particular country, region, time.
- faunal (adjective): Pertaining to animals.
- fifing (verb): present participle of fife
- filial (adjective): Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
- filing (noun): Any particle that has been removed by a file or similar implement; a shaving.
- fill (verb): To occupy fully, to take up all of.
- filling (verb): present participle of fill
- finagling (verb): present participle of finagle
- final (noun): A final examination; a test or examination given at the end of a term or class; the test that concludes a class.
- finial (noun): The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture.
- fining (verb): present participle of fine
- flag (noun): A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol.
- flagging (verb): present participle of flag
- flail (noun): A tool used for threshing, consisting of a long handle with a shorter stick attached with a short piece of chain, thong or similar material.
- flailing (verb): present participle of flail
- flan (noun): Baked tart with sweet or savoury filling in an open-topped pastry case.
- flanging (noun): A flange.
- fling (noun): An act of throwing, often violently.
- flinging (verb): present participle of fling
- fluff (noun): Anything light, soft or fuzzy, especially fur, hair, feathers.
- fluffing (verb): present participle of fluff
- flung (verb): simple past tense and past participle of fling
- fugu (noun): Blowfish: a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins.
- fulfill (verb): To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).
- fulfilling (adjective): Which causes fulfilment; emotionally or artistically satisfying.
- full (adjective): Containing the maximum possible amount that can fit in the space available.
- fungal (adjective): Of or pertaining to a fungus or fungi.
- fungi (noun): Spongy, abnormal growth, as granulation tissue formed in a wound.
- gaff (noun): A tool consisting of a large metal hook with a handle or pole, especially the one used to pull large fish aboard a boat.
- guff (noun): Nonsensical talk or thinking.
- gulf (noun): A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.
- infill (verb): To fill in a space, hole or gap.
- infilling (verb): present participle of infill
- luff (noun): The vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind.
- lungful (noun): As much as the lungs will hold.
- naif (adjective): Alternative spelling of naïf.
- unfulfilling (adjective): Not producing fulfillment or a sense of accomplishment; unsatisfying.