NYT Spelling Bee Answers for February 20, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | U |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, b, d, g, l, y |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 28 words |
| Total Points | 100 points |
| Genius Level | 70 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| B | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 9 |
| D | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 6 |
| G | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 5 |
| L | 4 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| U | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | Σ | 14 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 28 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | |
|---|---|
| B | BA×1 BU×8 |
| D | DA×1 DU×5 |
| G | GA×1 GL×1 GU×3 |
| L | LA×3 LU×4 |
| U | UG×1 |
| Y |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | |
|---|---|
| B | BAU×1 BUB×2 BUD×1 BUG×1 BUL×4 |
| D | DAU×1 DUA×2 DUL×3 |
| G | GAU×1 GLU×1 GUL×3 |
| L | LAD×1 LAU×2 LUA×1 LUL×3 |
| U | UGL×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) |
|---|---|---|
| la..... † | LA7 | Synonym of ladybird. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A unit of data transmission symbol rate; the number of signalling events per second. |
| bu... | BU5 | Brother; used as term of familiar address. |
| bu.... | BU6 | Full of bubbles. |
| bu... | BU5 | A friend or casual acquaintance. |
| bu... | BU5 | A small horse-drawn cart. |
| bu.. | BU4 | Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end. |
| bu... | BU5 | Having one or more bulges; bulging |
| bu.. | BU4 | An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen. Specifically, one that is uncastrated. |
| bu... | BU5 | A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or privilege. |
| da.. | DA4 | Excrement or clay used as a bonding material in construction. |
| du.. | DU4 | Characterized by having two (usually equivalent) components. |
| du.... | DU6 | In a dual manner; doubly |
| du.. | DU4 | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. |
| du... | DU5 | In a dull manner; without liveliness; without lustre. |
| du.. | DU4 | In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly. |
| ga... | GA5 | very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner |
| gl.. | GL4 | The sound made when a significant amount of liquid is poured suddenly out of something, such as a jug or bottle. |
| gu... | GU5 | Also GULAG: the system of all Soviet labour camps and prisons in use, especially during the Stalinist period (1930s–1950s). |
| gu.. | GU4 | A seabird of the genus Larus or of the family Laridae. |
| gu... | GU5 | A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside. |
| la.. | LA4 | Praise or glorification. |
| la...... | LA8 | In a laudable manner. |
| lu.. | LU4 | An elaborate Hawaiian feast featuring traditional foods and entertainment. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A period of rest or soothing. |
| lu..... | LU7 | A cradlesong, a soothing song to calm children or lull them to sleep. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A remarkable person, object or idea. |
| ug.. | UG4 | Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing. |
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.
- ladybug† (LA7)
- baud (BA4)
- bubba (BU5)
- bubbly (BU6)
- buddy (BU5)
- buggy (BU5)
- bulb (BU4)
- bulgy (BU5)
- bull (BU4)
- bully (BU5)
- daub (DA4)
- dual (DU4)
- dually (DU6)
- dull (DU4)
- dully (DU5)
- duly (DU4)
- gaudy (GA5)
- glug (GL4)
- gulag (GU5)
- gull (GU4)
- gully (GU5)
- laud (LA4)
- laudably (LA8)
- luau (LU4)
- lull (LU4)
- lullaby (LU7)
- lulu (LU4)
- ugly (UG4)
Answer Definitions
- ladybug† (noun): Synonym of ladybird.
- baud (noun): A unit of data transmission symbol rate; the number of signalling events per second.
- bubba (noun): Brother; used as term of familiar address.
- bubbly (adjective): Full of bubbles.
- buddy (noun): A friend or casual acquaintance.
- buggy (noun): A small horse-drawn cart.
- bulb (noun): Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end.
- bulgy (adjective): Having one or more bulges; bulging
- bull (noun): An adult male of domesticated cattle or oxen. Specifically, one that is uncastrated.
- bully (noun): A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or privilege.
- daub (noun): Excrement or clay used as a bonding material in construction.
- dual (adjective): Characterized by having two (usually equivalent) components.
- dually (adverb): In a dual manner; doubly
- dull (adjective): Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
- dully (adverb): In a dull manner; without liveliness; without lustre.
- duly (adverb): In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it ought to be; properly.
- gaudy (adjective): very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner
- glug (noun): The sound made when a significant amount of liquid is poured suddenly out of something, such as a jug or bottle.
- gulag (noun): Also GULAG: the system of all Soviet labour camps and prisons in use, especially during the Stalinist period (1930s–1950s).
- gull (noun): A seabird of the genus Larus or of the family Laridae.
- gully (noun): A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside.
- laud (noun): Praise or glorification.
- laudably (adverb): In a laudable manner.
- luau (noun): An elaborate Hawaiian feast featuring traditional foods and entertainment.
- lull (noun): A period of rest or soothing.
- lullaby (noun): A cradlesong, a soothing song to calm children or lull them to sleep.
- lulu (noun): A remarkable person, object or idea.
- ugly (adjective): Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing.