NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 6, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, i, o, r, v |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 53 words |
| Total Points | 245 points |
| Genius Level | 172 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | 5 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 9 |
| B | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| I | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| O | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| R | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 11 |
| T | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 21 |
| V | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | Σ | 17 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 53 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×2 AI×1 AO×1 AR×1 AT×2 AV×2 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×1 BI×1 BO×2 BR×1 |
| I | IO×1 |
| O | OB×1 OR×3 |
| R | RA×4 RI×2 RO×5 |
| T | TA×7 TI×2 TO×6 TR×6 |
| V | VI×2 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABB×1 ABO×1 AIR×1 AOR×1 ARB×1 ATR×1 ATT×1 AVA×1 AVI×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAI×1 BIO×1 BOA×1 BOO×1 BRA×1 |
| I | IOT×1 |
| O | OBI×1 ORA×2 ORB×1 |
| R | RAB×1 RAI×1 RAT×2 RIB×1 RIO×1 ROB×1 ROO×1 ROT×3 |
| T | TAB×2 TAR×4 TAT×1 TIA×1 TIB×1 TOO×1 TOR×5 TRA×3 TRI×2 TRO×1 |
| V | VIB×2 |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| vi..... † | VI7 | The musical effect or technique where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound. |
| vi...... † | VI8 | A device that vibrates or causes vibration. A vibrating device used for massage or sexual stimulation. |
| ab... | AB5 | The superior or head of an abbey or monastery. |
| ab... | AB5 | An early termination of a mission, action, or procedure in relation to missiles or spacecraft; the craft making such a mission. |
| ai..... | AI7 | A flat-bottomed boat driven by an in-air propeller and used in shallow water. |
| ao... | AO5 | The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system. |
| ar........ | AR10 | A person to whom the authority to settle or judge a dispute is delegated. |
| at... | AT5 | plural of atrium |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| av.... | AV6 | An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu. |
| av..... | AV7 | An aircraft pilot, especially a military pilot. The use of the word may imply claims of superior airmanship, as in navy aviator vs. air force pilot. |
| ba.. | BA4 | Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net. |
| bi... | BI5 | The living organisms of a region. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind. |
| bo.. | BO4 | A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football. |
| br.. | BR4 | A human child. A child who is regarded as mischievous, unruly, spoiled, or selfish. |
| io.. | IO4 | The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet. |
| ob.. | OB4 | Death of a person. |
| or.... | OR6 | Someone who orates or delivers an oration. |
| or...... | OR8 | A musical composition, often based on a religious theme; similar to opera but with no costume, scenery or acting. |
| or... | OR5 | A circular or elliptical path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, moon, or Lagrange point, especially a periodic elliptical revolution. |
| ra.... | RA6 | A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears, long hind legs and a short, fluffy tail. |
| ra... | RA5 | A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra... | RA5 | A number representing a comparison between two named things. |
| ri.... | RI6 | The vocal sound made by a frog or toad. |
| ri.. | RI4 | A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property. |
| ro... | RO5 | A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour. |
| ro.. | RO4 | The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction. |
| ro..... | RO7 | One who or that which rotates. |
| ro.. | RO4 | A kind of unleavened flatbread commonly consumed in South Asia and the Caribbean. |
| ro... | RO5 | A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump. |
| ta... | TA5 | An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion. |
| ta... | TA5 | A small drum. In traditional music, a small drum played with a single stick, leaving the player's other hand free to play a melody on a three-holed pipe. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato. |
| ta... | TA5 | A card game played in various different variations. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| ta.... | TA6 | An image made in the skin with ink and a needle. |
| ti... | TI5 | The papal crown. |
| ti... | TI5 | The inner and usually the larger of the two bones of the leg or hind limb below the knee, the shinbone |
| to.. | TO4 | The noise of a horn or whistle. |
| to.. | TO4 | plural of torus |
| to... | TO5 | A traditional Japanese gate at Shinto shrines, symbolically marking the transition from the profane to the sacred. |
| to.. | TO4 | A traditional Japanese lantern. |
| to.. | TO4 | An injury or wrong. |
| to... | TO5 | A sandwich, served either hot or cold, on an oblong white sandwich roll, derived from Mexican cuisine. |
| tr... | TR5 | An identifying characteristic, habit or trend. |
| tr..... | TR7 | Someone who violates an allegiance and betrays their country; someone guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers their country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place entrusted to their defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished. |
| tr....... | TR9 | A small, informal Italian-style restaurant. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A group of three people or things. |
| tr.... | TR6 | Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information. |
| tr.. | TR4 | An ugly old woman, a hag. |
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.
- vibrato† (VI7)
- vibrator† (VI8)
- abbot (AB5)
- abort (AB5)
- airboat (AI7)
- aorta (AO5)
- arbitrator (AR10)
- atria (AT5)
- attar (AT5)
- avatar (AV6)
- aviator (AV7)
- bait (BA4)
- biota (BI5)
- boat (BO4)
- boot (BO4)
- brat (BR4)
- iota (IO4)
- obit (OB4)
- orator (OR6)
- oratorio (OR8)
- orbit (OR5)
- rabbit (RA6)
- raita (RA5)
- ratatat (RA7)
- ratio (RA5)
- ribbit (RI6)
- riot (RI4)
- robot (RO5)
- root (RO4)
- rotator (RO7)
- roti (RO4)
- rotor (RO5)
- taboo (TA5)
- tabor (TA5)
- taro (TA4)
- tarot (TA5)
- tart (TA4)
- tartar (TA6)
- tattoo (TA6)
- tiara (TI5)
- tibia (TI5)
- toot (TO4)
- tori (TO4)
- torii (TO5)
- toro (TO4)
- tort (TO4)
- torta (TO5)
- trait (TR5)
- traitor (TR7)
- trattoria (TR9)
- trio (TR4)
- trivia (TR6)
- trot (TR4)
Answer Definitions
- vibrato† (noun): The musical effect or technique where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound.
- vibrator† (noun): A device that vibrates or causes vibration. A vibrating device used for massage or sexual stimulation.
- abbot (noun): The superior or head of an abbey or monastery.
- abort (noun): An early termination of a mission, action, or procedure in relation to missiles or spacecraft; the craft making such a mission.
- airboat (noun): A flat-bottomed boat driven by an in-air propeller and used in shallow water.
- aorta (noun): The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
- arbitrator (noun): A person to whom the authority to settle or judge a dispute is delegated.
- atria (noun): plural of atrium
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- avatar (noun): An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu.
- aviator (noun): An aircraft pilot, especially a military pilot. The use of the word may imply claims of superior airmanship, as in navy aviator vs. air force pilot.
- bait (noun): Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.
- biota (noun): The living organisms of a region.
- boat (noun): A craft used for transportation of goods, fishing, racing, recreational cruising, or military use on or in the water, propelled by oars or outboard motor or inboard motor or by wind.
- boot (noun): A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. A kind of sports shoe worn by players of certain games such as cricket and football.
- brat (noun): A human child. A child who is regarded as mischievous, unruly, spoiled, or selfish.
- iota (noun): The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet.
- obit (noun): Death of a person.
- orator (noun): Someone who orates or delivers an oration.
- oratorio (noun): A musical composition, often based on a religious theme; similar to opera but with no costume, scenery or acting.
- orbit (noun): A circular or elliptical path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, moon, or Lagrange point, especially a periodic elliptical revolution.
- rabbit (noun): A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears, long hind legs and a short, fluffy tail.
- raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- ratio (noun): A number representing a comparison between two named things.
- ribbit (interjection): The vocal sound made by a frog or toad.
- riot (noun): A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group of people, often involving violence or damage to property.
- robot (noun): A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour.
- root (noun): The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.
- rotator (noun): One who or that which rotates.
- roti (noun): A kind of unleavened flatbread commonly consumed in South Asia and the Caribbean.
- rotor (noun): A rotating part of a mechanical device; for example, in an electric motor, generator, alternator, or pump.
- taboo (noun): An inhibition or ban that results from social custom or emotional aversion.
- tabor (noun): A small drum. In traditional music, a small drum played with a single stick, leaving the player's other hand free to play a melody on a three-holed pipe.
- taro (noun): Colocasia esculenta, raised as a food primarily for its corm, which distantly resembles potato.
- tarot (noun): A card game played in various different variations.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
- tiara (noun): The papal crown.
- tibia (noun): The inner and usually the larger of the two bones of the leg or hind limb below the knee, the shinbone
- toot (noun): The noise of a horn or whistle.
- tori (noun): plural of torus
- torii (noun): A traditional Japanese gate at Shinto shrines, symbolically marking the transition from the profane to the sacred.
- toro (noun): A traditional Japanese lantern.
- tort (noun): An injury or wrong.
- torta (noun): A sandwich, served either hot or cold, on an oblong white sandwich roll, derived from Mexican cuisine.
- trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
- traitor (noun): Someone who violates an allegiance and betrays their country; someone guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers their country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place entrusted to their defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished.
- trattoria (noun): A small, informal Italian-style restaurant.
- trio (noun): A group of three people or things.
- trivia (noun): Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information.
- trot (noun): An ugly old woman, a hag.