NYT Spelling Bee Answers for June 26, 2025

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for June 26, 2025

Game Summary

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for June 26, 2025
Center LetterA
Outer Lettersc, i, n, o, r, z
# of Pangrams1 (Perfect: none)
Total Words43 words
Total Points184 points
Genius Level129 points
Bingo?No

Table of Contents

As you scroll down this page, the clues get progressively more revealing. So scroll slowly!

  1. Spelling Bee Grid
  2. Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
  3. Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
  4. Extra Letter Hints (Incrementally Revealing) 🤯
  5. Today's Complete Solution
  6. Answer Definitions

If you're just here for a list of NYT Spelling Bee answers, Jump down to the answers ↓ (Spoiler Alert!).

Spelling Bee "Hive" Board for June 26, 2025

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.

45678Σ
A423-110
C3643-16
I------
N311--5
O1--1-2
R5111-8
Z--1-12
Σ1610105243

Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.

A
AC×3
AN×2
AR×5
C
CA×8
CI×2
CO×3
CR×1
CZ×2
I
N
NA×4
NI×1
O
OC×1
OR×1
R
RA×6
RO×2
Z
ZI×2

Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints

The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.

A
ACA×2
ACO×1
ANI×1
ANO×1
ARA×1
ARC×2
ARI×1
ARN×1
C
CAC×1
CAI×1
CAN×5
CAR×1
CIA×1
CIR×1
COC×2
COR×1
CRA×1
CZA×2
I
N
NAA×1
NAN×1
NAR×2
NIA×1
O
OCA×1
ORC×1
R
RAC×1
RAI×1
RAN×2
RAZ×2
ROA×2
Z
ZIN×1
ZIR×1

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 ().

Word2L RefDefinition (click to reveal)
zi...... ZI8The oxide of zirconium, obtained as a white powder, and possessing both acid and basic properties. On account of its infusibility, and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it is used as an ingredient of sticks for the Drummond light.
ac....AC6A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
ac..AC4Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
ac...AC5The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule.
an...AN5A negatively charged ion.
an..AN4Straight away; at once.
ar......AR8plural of arancino
ar....AR6Specialized knowledge that is mysterious to the uninitiated.
ar..AR4A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato.
ar..AR4A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.
ar....AR6Any of several plants, of the genus Arnica, considered to have medicinal properties, especially Arnica montana.
ca...CA5A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
ca...CA5A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument.
ca....CA6A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.
ca...CA5Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers.
ca....CA6A complete assembly, consisting of an artillery tube and a breech mechanism, firing mechanism or base cap, which is a component of a gun, howitzer or mortar. It may include muzzle appendages.
ca...CA5A generally accepted principle; a rule.
ca.....CA7canonical
ca.....CA7Dead flesh; carcasses.
ci..CI4hello, hi.
ci...CI5Approximately, about, around
co..CO4Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America.
co...CO5The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.
co....CO6A large, round, pendent chandelier, with spikes around its upper rim to hold candles or lamps, usually hung from the roof of a church.
cr....CR6plural of cranium
cz..CZ4Alternative spelling of tsar
cz.....CZ7Alternative spelling of tsarina
na..NA4A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
na..NA4A banana.
na..NA4A police officer assigned to or engaging in illegal narcotics control.
na...NA5Narcotics.
ni....NI6A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism.
oc.....OC7A woodwind musical instrument that is closed at both sides to produce an enclosed space, and punctured with finger holes.
or..OR4A sea mammal (Orcinus orca) related to dolphins and porpoises, commonly called the killer whale.
ra.....RA7A nocturnal omnivore native to North America, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail; Procyon lotor.
ra..RA4Condensed water falling from a cloud.
ra....RA6A feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness.
ra..RA4The wife of a rajah.
ra...RA5A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
ra..RA4A version of seven card stud where the worst poker hand wins (called lowball).
ro..RO4Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in
ro..RO4To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
zi....ZI6Any of several brightly coloured flowering plants, of the genus Zinnia, native to tropical America; old maid

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.

  • zirconia  (ZI8)
  • acacia  (AC6)
  • acai  (AC4)
  • acorn  (AC5)
  • anion  (AN5)
  • anon  (AN4)
  • arancini  (AR8)
  • arcana  (AR6)
  • arco  (AR4)
  • aria  (AR4)
  • arnica  (AR6)
  • cacao  (CA5)
  • cairn  (CA5)
  • cancan  (CA6)
  • canna  (CA5)
  • cannon  (CA6)
  • canon  (CA5)
  • canonic  (CA7)
  • carrion  (CA7)
  • ciao  (CI4)
  • circa  (CI5)
  • coca  (CO4)
  • cocoa  (CO5)
  • corona  (CO6)
  • crania  (CR6)
  • czar  (CZ4)
  • czarina  (CZ7)
  • naan  (NA4)
  • nana  (NA4)
  • narc  (NA4)
  • narco  (NA5)
  • niacin  (NI6)
  • ocarina  (OC7)
  • orca  (OR4)
  • raccoon  (RA7)
  • rain  (RA4)
  • rancor  (RA6)
  • rani  (RA4)
  • razor  (RA5)
  • razz  (RA4)
  • roan  (RO4)
  • roar  (RO4)
  • zinnia  (ZI6)

Answer Definitions

  • zirconia (noun): The oxide of zirconium, obtained as a white powder, and possessing both acid and basic properties. On account of its infusibility, and brilliant luminosity when incandescent, it is used as an ingredient of sticks for the Drummond light.
  • acacia (noun): A shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae.
  • acai (noun): Any of several South American palms, of the genus Euterpe, having a dark purple drupe.
  • acorn (noun): The fruit of the oak, being an oval nut growing in a woody cup or cupule.
  • anion (noun): A negatively charged ion.
  • anon (adverb): Straight away; at once.
  • arancini (noun): plural of arancino
  • arcana (noun): Specialized knowledge that is mysterious to the uninitiated.
  • arco (adverb): A note in string instrument musical notation indicating that the bow is to be used in the usual way, usually following a passage that is played pizzicato.
  • aria (noun): A musical piece written typically for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera or cantata.
  • arnica (noun): Any of several plants, of the genus Arnica, considered to have medicinal properties, especially Arnica montana.
  • cacao (noun): A tree, Theobroma cacao, whose seed is used to make chocolate.
  • cairn (noun): A rounded or conical heap of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument.
  • cancan (noun): A high-kicking chorus line dance originating in France.
  • canna (noun): Any member of the genus Canna of tropical plants with large leaves and often showy flowers.
  • cannon (noun): A complete assembly, consisting of an artillery tube and a breech mechanism, firing mechanism or base cap, which is a component of a gun, howitzer or mortar. It may include muzzle appendages.
  • canon (noun): A generally accepted principle; a rule.
  • canonic (adjective): canonical
  • carrion (noun): Dead flesh; carcasses.
  • ciao (interjection): hello, hi.
  • circa (preposition): Approximately, about, around
  • coca (noun): Any of the four cultivated plants which belong to the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America.
  • cocoa (noun): The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made.
  • corona (noun): A large, round, pendent chandelier, with spikes around its upper rim to hold candles or lamps, usually hung from the roof of a church.
  • crania (noun): plural of cranium
  • czar (noun): Alternative spelling of tsar
  • czarina (noun): Alternative spelling of tsarina
  • naan (noun): A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
  • nana (noun): A banana.
  • narc (noun): A police officer assigned to or engaging in illegal narcotics control.
  • narco (noun): Narcotics.
  • niacin (noun): A water-soluble vitamin, a component of vitamin B complex, found in meat, yeast, and dairy products; it is essential to metabolism.
  • ocarina (noun): A woodwind musical instrument that is closed at both sides to produce an enclosed space, and punctured with finger holes.
  • orca (noun): A sea mammal (Orcinus orca) related to dolphins and porpoises, commonly called the killer whale.
  • raccoon (noun): A nocturnal omnivore native to North America, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail; Procyon lotor.
  • rain (noun): Condensed water falling from a cloud.
  • rancor (noun): A feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness.
  • rani (noun): The wife of a rajah.
  • razor (noun): A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
  • razz (noun): A version of seven card stud where the worst poker hand wins (called lowball).
  • roan (adjective): Especially of a horse, having a coat of a dark base color with individual white hairs mixed in
  • roar (verb): To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
  • zinnia (noun): Any of several brightly coloured flowering plants, of the genus Zinnia, native to tropical America; old maid