NYT Spelling Bee Answers for March 21, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | E |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | i, l, n, p, u, v |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 48 words |
| Total Points | 176 points |
| Genius Level | 123 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 6 |
| I | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| L | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - | 11 |
| N | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
| P | 8 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 13 |
| U | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 5 |
| V | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 8 | Σ | 23 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 48 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| E | EL×1 EN×2 EP×1 EV×2 |
|---|---|
| I | IN×1 |
| L | LE×2 LI×7 LU×2 |
| N | NE×1 NI×3 |
| P | PE×6 PI×5 PL×1 PU×1 |
| U | UN×5 |
| V | VE×5 VI×2 VU×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| E | ELE×1 ENL×1 ENN×1 EPE×1 EVE×1 EVI×1 |
|---|---|
| I | INN×1 |
| L | LEV×2 LIE×2 LIN×3 LIV×2 LUN×1 LUP×1 |
| N | NEN×1 NIN×2 NIP×1 |
| P | PEE×4 PEN×2 PIL×2 PIN×1 PIP×2 PLI×1 PUL×1 |
| U | UNE×1 UNL×1 UNP×2 UNV×1 |
| V | VEE×1 VEI×2 VEN×2 VIL×1 VIN×1 VUL×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 (†).
| Word | 2L Ref | Definition (click to reveal) |
|---|---|---|
| vu..... † | VU7 | Pertaining to a fox. |
| el.... | EL6 | The cardinal number occurring after ten and before twelve. Represented as 11 in Arabic digits. |
| en..... | EN7 | To give life or spirit to; to revive or animate. |
| en... | EN5 | A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression. |
| ep.. | EP4 | A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing. |
| ev.. | EV4 | Flat and level. |
| ev.. | EV4 | Intending to harm; malevolent. |
| in... | IN5 | A navel that is formed of a hollow in the abdomen (as opposed to one that protrudes from the abdomen). |
| le... | LE5 | An elevated geographical feature. |
| le... | LE5 | The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground. |
| li.. | LI4 | A tendon. |
| li.. | LI4 | A place or stead; See in lieu or in lieu of |
| li.. | LI4 | A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight. |
| li... | LI5 | Thread or cloth made from flax fiber. |
| li.... | LI6 | a physical or photographic queue of people allegedly involved in a crime, allowing a witness to identify them |
| li.. | LI4 | To be alive; to have life. |
| li... | LI5 | To cause to be more lively, or to become more lively. |
| lu.. | LU4 | A fit of lunacy or madness; a period of frenzy; a crazy or unreasonable freak. |
| lu.... | LU6 | Of, or pertaining to, the wolf. |
| ne.. | NE4 | The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957. |
| ni.. | NI4 | NATO & ICAO phonetic alphabet code for the numeral 9. |
| ni..... | NI7 | The wooden pin used in the game of ninepins; a skittle. |
| ni.... | NI6 | The projection of a mammary gland from which, on female mammals, milk is secreted. |
| pe.. | PE4 | To remove the skin or outer covering of. |
| pe.. | PE4 | The (often spherical) end of the head of a hammer opposite the main hammering end. |
| pe.. | PE4 | A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird. |
| pe... | PE5 | An annoyance or grievance. |
| pe.... | PE6 | Pertaining to the penis. |
| pe... | PE5 | A type of short, diagonally cut pasta. |
| pi.. | PI4 | A mass of things heaped together; a heap. |
| pi.... | PI6 | Alternative spelling of pile-up |
| pi.. | PI4 | Any coniferous tree of the genus Pinus. |
| pi.. | PI4 | Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird. |
| pi...... | PI8 | A conduit made of pipes used to convey water, gas or petroleum etc. |
| pl.. | PL4 | Alternative spelling of plié |
| pu.. | PU4 | A plaintive melancholy whine. |
| un.... | UN6 | Not even |
| un..... | UN7 | Not level. |
| un... | UN5 | To release from a pen. |
| un.... | UN6 | To remove from a pile or stack. |
| un.... | UN6 | To remove a veil from; to uncover; to reveal something hidden. |
| ve.. | VE4 | The Vice President of the United States; the office of Vice President of the United States, especially during an election cycle where several are in the running for the nomination. |
| ve.. | VE4 | Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material. |
| ve.. | VE4 | A blood vessel that transports blood from the capillaries back to the heart. |
| ve... | VE5 | A theater, auditorium, arena, or other area designated for sporting or entertainment events. |
| ve.... | VE6 | A small vein, especially one that connects capillaries to a larger vein. |
| vi.. | VI4 | Morally low; base; despicable. |
| vi.. | VI4 | The climbing plant that produces grapes. |
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.
- vulpine† (VU7)
- eleven (EL6)
- enliven (EN7)
- ennui (EN5)
- epee (EP4)
- even (EV4)
- evil (EV4)
- innie (IN5)
- levee (LE5)
- level (LE5)
- lien (LI4)
- lieu (LI4)
- line (LI4)
- linen (LI5)
- lineup (LI6)
- live (LI4)
- liven (LI5)
- lune (LU4)
- lupine (LU6)
- nene (NE4)
- nine (NI4)
- ninepin (NI7)
- nipple (NI6)
- peel (PE4)
- peen (PE4)
- peep (PE4)
- peeve (PE5)
- penile (PE6)
- penne (PE5)
- pile (PI4)
- pileup (PI6)
- pine (PI4)
- pipe (PI4)
- pipeline (PI8)
- plie (PL4)
- pule (PU4)
- uneven (UN6)
- unlevel (UN7)
- unpen (UN5)
- unpile (UN6)
- unveil (UN6)
- veep (VE4)
- veil (VE4)
- vein (VE4)
- venue (VE5)
- venule (VE6)
- vile (VI4)
- vine (VI4)
Answer Definitions
- vulpine† (adjective): Pertaining to a fox.
- eleven (numeral): The cardinal number occurring after ten and before twelve. Represented as 11 in Arabic digits.
- enliven (verb): To give life or spirit to; to revive or animate.
- ennui (noun): A gripping listlessness or melancholia caused by boredom; depression.
- epee (noun): A sharp-pointed dueling sword with a bell-shaped guard, used (with the end blunted) in sport fencing.
- even (adjective): Flat and level.
- evil (adjective): Intending to harm; malevolent.
- innie (noun): A navel that is formed of a hollow in the abdomen (as opposed to one that protrudes from the abdomen).
- levee (noun): An elevated geographical feature.
- level (adjective): The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
- lien (noun): A tendon.
- lieu (noun): A place or stead; See in lieu or in lieu of
- line (noun): A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.
- linen (noun): Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
- lineup (noun): a physical or photographic queue of people allegedly involved in a crime, allowing a witness to identify them
- live (verb): To be alive; to have life.
- liven (verb): To cause to be more lively, or to become more lively.
- lune (noun): A fit of lunacy or madness; a period of frenzy; a crazy or unreasonable freak.
- lupine (adjective): Of, or pertaining to, the wolf.
- nene (noun): The Hawaiian goose, Branta sandvicensis, which was designated the state bird of Hawaii in 1957.
- nine (numeral): NATO & ICAO phonetic alphabet code for the numeral 9.
- ninepin (noun): The wooden pin used in the game of ninepins; a skittle.
- nipple (noun): The projection of a mammary gland from which, on female mammals, milk is secreted.
- peel (verb): To remove the skin or outer covering of.
- peen (noun): The (often spherical) end of the head of a hammer opposite the main hammering end.
- peep (noun): A short, soft, high-pitched sound, as made by a baby bird.
- peeve (noun): An annoyance or grievance.
- penile (adjective): Pertaining to the penis.
- penne (noun): A type of short, diagonally cut pasta.
- pile (noun): A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
- pileup (noun): Alternative spelling of pile-up
- pine (noun): Any coniferous tree of the genus Pinus.
- pipe (noun): Meanings relating to a wind instrument. A wind instrument consisting of a tube, often lined with holes to allow for adjustment in pitch, sounded by blowing into the tube. A tube used to produce sound in an organ; an organ pipe. The key or sound of the voice. A high-pitched sound, especially of a bird.
- pipeline (noun): A conduit made of pipes used to convey water, gas or petroleum etc.
- plie (noun): Alternative spelling of plié
- pule (noun): A plaintive melancholy whine.
- uneven (adjective): Not even
- unlevel (adjective): Not level.
- unpen (verb): To release from a pen.
- unpile (verb): To remove from a pile or stack.
- unveil (verb): To remove a veil from; to uncover; to reveal something hidden.
- veep (noun): The Vice President of the United States; the office of Vice President of the United States, especially during an election cycle where several are in the running for the nomination.
- veil (noun): Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material.
- vein (noun): A blood vessel that transports blood from the capillaries back to the heart.
- venue (noun): A theater, auditorium, arena, or other area designated for sporting or entertainment events.
- venule (noun): A small vein, especially one that connects capillaries to a larger vein.
- vile (adjective): Morally low; base; despicable.
- vine (noun): The climbing plant that produces grapes.