NYT Spelling Bee Answers for January 20, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | A |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | f, i, l, n, t, y |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 68 words |
| Total Points | 347 points |
| Genius Level | 243 points |
| Bingo? | No |
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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 13 |
| F | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 23 |
| I | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 6 |
| L | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| N | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 10 |
| T | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 18 | 21 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 1 | - | 1 | 68 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AF×2 AL×4 AN×5 AT×2 |
|---|---|
| F | FA×11 FI×7 FL×5 |
| I | IN×6 |
| L | LA×4 LI×1 |
| N | NA×10 |
| T | TA×9 TI×2 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AFF×2 ALF×1 ALI×1 ALL×2 ANA×2 ANN×1 ANT×2 ATI×1 ATT×1 |
|---|---|
| F | FAI×3 FAL×1 FAN×2 FAT×5 FIA×1 FIL×2 FIN×4 FLA×5 |
| I | INA×1 INF×2 INI×2 INL×1 |
| L | LAI×2 LAN×2 LIT×1 |
| N | NAA×1 NAI×2 NAN×2 NAT×5 |
| T | TAF×1 TAI×2 TAL×4 TAN×1 TAT×1 TIF×1 TIT×1 |
| Y |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| fa..... † | FA7 | In a faint manner; very quietly or lightly. |
| fi...... † | FI8 | The state of being final; the condition from which no further changes occur. |
| in......... † | IN11 | quality of being infantile |
| af..... | AF7 | The individual witness whose statement is contained in an affidavit or sworn deposition. |
| af...... | AF8 | A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing. |
| al..... | AL7 | A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop. |
| al.. | AL4 | simple past tense and past participle of alight |
| al... | AL5 | To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm. |
| al.. | AL4 | To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty. |
| an.. | AN4 | of, related to, intended for or involving the anus. |
| an.... | AN6 | Involving the anus. |
| an... | AN5 | The record of a single event or item. |
| an.. | AN4 | Opposed to something. |
| an.... | AN6 | Alternative letter-case form of Antifa. |
| at... | AT5 | At an angle from the vertical or horizontal. |
| at.... | AT6 | To gain (an object or desired result). |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be unsuccessful. |
| fa... | FA5 | (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness |
| fa.. | FA4 | To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity. |
| fa... | FA5 | euphemism for the buttocks |
| fa..... | FA7 | Any of several birds, of the genus Rhipidura, from Asia, Australia and New Zealand. |
| fa... | FA5 | Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny. |
| fa...... | FA8 | The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control. |
| fa..... | FA7 | In a fatal manner; lethally. |
| fa... | FA5 | In a fat way; in the manner of a fat person. |
| fa... | FA5 | derogatory term for an overweight person. |
| fi.. | FI4 | An arbitrary or authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree. |
| fi.... | FI6 | Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter. |
| fi...... | FI8 | In a filial manner. |
| 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..... | FI7 | At the end or conclusion; ultimately. |
| fi.... | FI6 | The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture. |
| 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.. | FL4 | Baked tart with sweet or savoury filling in an open-topped pastry case. |
| fl.. | FL4 | Having no variations in height. |
| fl.... | FL6 | In a physically flat or level manner. |
| fl.. | FL4 | To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening). |
| in..... | IN7 | The property of lacking sense or meaning (often to the point of boredom or annoyance). |
| in.... | IN6 | A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and attention. |
| in..... | IN7 | Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin. |
| in....... | IN9 | At the beginning. |
| in... | IN5 | To place (pieces of a foreign material) within another material to form a decorative design. |
| la.. | LA4 | past participle of lie (“to be oriented in a horizontal position, situated”) |
| la... | LA5 | People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics. |
| la... | LA5 | A Hawaiian-style roofed patio. |
| la..... | LA7 | Any member of the genus Lantana of perennial verbenas with aromatic flower clusters. |
| li.... | LI6 | A ritual liturgical prayer in which a series of prayers recited by a leader are alternated with responses from the congregation. |
| na.. | NA4 | A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine. |
| na.. | NA4 | Alternative spelling of naïf. |
| na.. | NA4 | The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals. |
| na.. | NA4 | A banana. |
| na... | NA5 | A child's nurse. |
| na... | NA5 | Of or relating to birth. |
| na...... | NA8 | The ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year. |
| na.... | NA6 | floating or swimming (in water) |
| na..... | NA7 | In a natty manner. |
| na... | NA5 | Smart and fashionable. |
| ta... | TA5 | A soft, chewy candy made from boiled sugar, molasses, or corn syrup and butter. |
| ta.. | TA4 | The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus. |
| ta... | TA5 | A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food. |
| ta.. | TA4 | plural of talus |
| ta.. | TA4 | Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A traditional Jewish prayer shawl with tassels which covers the chest and upper part of the back. |
| ta... | TA5 | Target sighted. |
| ta.... | TA6 | Tannic acid or any of its derivatives. |
| ta... | TA5 | worn and shabby; in poor condition. |
| ti..... | TI7 | A kind of gauze, or very thin silk. |
| ti... | TI5 | Something or someone of very large stature, greatness, or godliness. |
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.
- faintly† (FA7)
- finality† (FI8)
- infantility† (IN11)
- affiant (AF7)
- affinity (AF8)
- alfalfa (AL7)
- alit (AL4)
- allay (AL5)
- ally (AL4)
- anal (AN4)
- anally (AN6)
- annal (AN5)
- anti (AN4)
- antifa (AN6)
- atilt (AT5)
- attain (AT6)
- fail (FA4)
- faint (FA5)
- fall (FA4)
- fanny (FA5)
- fantail (FA7)
- fatal (FA5)
- fatality (FA8)
- fatally (FA7)
- fatly (FA5)
- fatty (FA5)
- fiat (FI4)
- filial (FI6)
- filially (FI8)
- final (FI5)
- finally (FI7)
- finial (FI6)
- flail (FL5)
- flan (FL4)
- flat (FL4)
- flatly (FL6)
- flay (FL4)
- inanity (IN7)
- infant (IN6)
- initial (IN7)
- initially (IN9)
- inlay (IN5)
- lain (LA4)
- laity (LA5)
- lanai (LA5)
- lantana (LA7)
- litany (LI6)
- naan (NA4)
- naif (NA4)
- nail (NA4)
- nana (NA4)
- nanny (NA5)
- natal (NA5)
- natality (NA8)
- natant (NA6)
- nattily (NA7)
- natty (NA5)
- taffy (TA5)
- tail (TA4)
- taint (TA5)
- tali (TA4)
- tall (TA4)
- tallit (TA6)
- tally (TA5)
- tannin (TA6)
- tatty (TA5)
- tiffany (TI7)
- titan (TI5)
Answer Definitions
- faintly† (adverb): In a faint manner; very quietly or lightly.
- finality† (noun): The state of being final; the condition from which no further changes occur.
- infantility† (noun): quality of being infantile
- affiant (noun): The individual witness whose statement is contained in an affidavit or sworn deposition.
- affinity (noun): A natural attraction or feeling of kinship to a person or thing.
- alfalfa (noun): A plant, principally of Medicago sativa, grown as a pasture crop.
- alit (verb): simple past tense and past participle of alight
- allay (verb): To make quiet or put at rest; to pacify or appease; to quell; to calm.
- ally (verb): To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
- anal (adjective): of, related to, intended for or involving the anus.
- anally (adverb): Involving the anus.
- annal (noun): The record of a single event or item.
- anti (adjective): Opposed to something.
- antifa (proper noun): Alternative letter-case form of Antifa.
- atilt (adjective): At an angle from the vertical or horizontal.
- attain (verb): To gain (an object or desired result).
- fail (verb): To be unsuccessful.
- faint (adjective): (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
- fall (verb): To be moved downwards. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
- fanny (noun): euphemism for the buttocks
- fantail (noun): Any of several birds, of the genus Rhipidura, from Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
- fatal (adjective): Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny.
- fatality (noun): The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
- fatally (adverb): In a fatal manner; lethally.
- fatly (adverb): In a fat way; in the manner of a fat person.
- fatty (adjective): derogatory term for an overweight person.
- fiat (noun): An arbitrary or authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree.
- filial (adjective): Pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter.
- filially (adverb): In a filial manner.
- final (noun): A final examination; a test or examination given at the end of a term or class; the test that concludes a class.
- finally (adverb): At the end or conclusion; ultimately.
- finial (noun): The knot or bunch of foliage, or foliated ornament, that forms the upper extremity of a pinnacle in Gothic architecture.
- 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.
- flan (noun): Baked tart with sweet or savoury filling in an open-topped pastry case.
- flat (adjective): Having no variations in height.
- flatly (adverb): In a physically flat or level manner.
- flay (verb): To cause to fly; put to flight; drive off (by frightening).
- inanity (noun): The property of lacking sense or meaning (often to the point of boredom or annoyance).
- infant (noun): A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and attention.
- initial (adjective): Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
- initially (adverb): At the beginning.
- inlay (verb): To place (pieces of a foreign material) within another material to form a decorative design.
- lain (verb): past participle of lie (“to be oriented in a horizontal position, situated”)
- laity (noun): People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics.
- lanai (noun): A Hawaiian-style roofed patio.
- lantana (noun): Any member of the genus Lantana of perennial verbenas with aromatic flower clusters.
- litany (noun): A ritual liturgical prayer in which a series of prayers recited by a leader are alternated with responses from the congregation.
- naan (noun): A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
- naif (adjective): Alternative spelling of naïf.
- nail (noun): The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
- nana (noun): A banana.
- nanny (noun): A child's nurse.
- natal (adjective): Of or relating to birth.
- natality (noun): The ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year.
- natant (adjective): floating or swimming (in water)
- nattily (adverb): In a natty manner.
- natty (adjective): Smart and fashionable.
- taffy (noun): A soft, chewy candy made from boiled sugar, molasses, or corn syrup and butter.
- tail (noun): The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
- taint (noun): A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.
- tali (noun): plural of talus
- tall (adjective): Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
- tallit (noun): A traditional Jewish prayer shawl with tassels which covers the chest and upper part of the back.
- tally (interjection): Target sighted.
- tannin (noun): Tannic acid or any of its derivatives.
- tatty (noun): worn and shabby; in poor condition.
- tiffany (noun): A kind of gauze, or very thin silk.
- titan (noun): Something or someone of very large stature, greatness, or godliness.