NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 16, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | A |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | e, h, n, o, p, t |
| # of Pangrams | 3 (Perfect: 2) |
| Total Words | 64 words |
| Total Points | 286 points |
| Genius Level | 200 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 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | 2 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 10 |
| E | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| H | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 10 |
| N | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 10 |
| O | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| P | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| T | 5 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 10 | Σ | 26 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 64 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AE×1 AN×6 AP×1 AT×2 |
|---|---|
| E | EA×1 ET×1 |
| H | HA×4 HE×6 |
| N | NA×4 NE×5 NO×1 |
| O | OA×2 |
| P | PA×10 PE×4 PH×3 PO×3 |
| T | TA×3 TE×3 TH×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AEO×1 ANN×2 ANO×1 ANT×3 APN×1 ATO×2 |
|---|---|
| E | EAT×1 ETH×1 |
| H | HAP×1 HAT×3 HEA×4 HEN×1 HEP×1 |
| N | NAA×1 NAN×1 NAP×1 NAT×1 NEA×4 NEO×1 NOT×1 |
| O | OAT×2 |
| P | PAE×1 PAN×4 PAP×1 PAT×4 PEA×2 PEN×2 PHA×2 PHO×1 POP×1 POT×2 |
| T | TAP×2 TAT×1 TEA×2 TEN×1 THA×3 THE×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) |
|---|---|---|
| pa...... † | PA8 | A temple dedicated to all the gods. |
| ph..... † | PH7 | No definition found; request failed |
| ph..... † | PH7 | No definition found; request failed |
| ae.. | AE4 | Alternative spelling of eon |
| an..... | AN7 | A tropical American evergreen shrub, Bixa orellana; the lipstick tree; the fruit of the tree. |
| an...... | AN8 | To add annotation to. |
| an.. | AN4 | Straight away; at once. |
| an.. | AN4 | A price or cost, as in up the ante. |
| an..... | AN7 | A feeler organ on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal. |
| an...... | AN8 | plural of antenna |
| ap... | AP5 | The cessation of breathing, most often in reference to transient instances thereof during sleep. |
| at... | AT5 | To make reparation, compensation, amends or satisfaction for an offence, crime, mistake or deficiency. |
| at.. | AT4 | On the top of. |
| ea... | EA5 | past participle of eat |
| et.... | ET6 | An aliphatic hydrocarbon, C2H6, gaseous at normal temperatures and pressures, being a constituent of natural gas. |
| ha.... | HA6 | To occur or take place. |
| ha.. | HA4 | An object of hatred. |
| ha.. | HA4 | third-person singular simple present indicative form of have |
| ha... | HA5 | The fundamental form of yoga that focuses on asanas |
| he.. | HE4 | A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of people. |
| he.. | HE4 | Thermal energy. |
| he... | HE5 | A tract of level uncultivated land with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation; heathland. |
| he..... | HE7 | Not adhering to Christian religion (though usually excluding the Jews); pagan. |
| he... | HE5 | A shrub, Lawsonia inermis, having fragrant reddish flowers |
| he..... | HE7 | Any of the nine isomers of the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon C7H16, obtained from petroleum, especially n-heptane (CH3(CH2)5CH3) |
| na.. | NA4 | A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine. |
| na.. | NA4 | A banana. |
| na.. | NA4 | The back part of the neck. |
| na.... | NA6 | floating or swimming (in water) |
| ne.. | NE4 | The tongue or pole of a cart or other vehicle drawn by two animals. |
| ne.. | NE4 | Clean, tidy; free from dirt or impurities. |
| ne.... | NE6 | To make (someone or something) neat; to arrange (people or things) in an orderly, tidy way; to tidy. |
| ne... | NE5 | Beneath. |
| ne..... | NE7 | A newborn infant; recently born baby. |
| no.... | NO6 | To mark with spots or lines, which are often colored. |
| oa... | OA5 | Made of oats. |
| oa.. | OA4 | A solemn pledge or promise that invokes a deity, a ruler, or another entity (not necessarily present) to attest the truth of a statement or sincerity of one's desire to fulfill a contract or promise. |
| pa... | PA5 | A chant or song, especially a hymn of thanksgiving for deliverance or victory, to Apollo or sometimes another god or goddess; hence any song sung to solicit victory in battle. |
| pa.. | PA4 | An individual sheet of glass in a window, door, etc. |
| pa....... | PA9 | A soft Italian sourdough brioche from Milan, with candied fruit, usually prepared for Christmas as a dessert. |
| pa.. | PA4 | A quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp: the panting of animals such as a dog with their tong hung out- as a form of thermoregulation. |
| pa.. | PA4 | Dad, daddy, father; a familiar or old-fashioned term of address to one’s father. |
| pa.. | PA4 | The head, particularly the top or crown. |
| pa.... | PA6 | An official document granting an appointment, privilege, or right, or some property or title; letters patent. A grant of a monopoly over the manufacture, sale, and use of goods. A declaration issued by a government agency that the inventor of a new invention has the sole privilege of making, selling, or using the claimed invention for a specified period. A specific grant of ownership of a piece of real property; a land patent. |
| pa...... | PA8 | One to whom a grant is made, or a privilege secured, by patent. |
| pa.. | PA4 | A trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians. |
| pe.... | PE6 | A female peafowl. |
| pe.. | PE4 | Soil formed of dead but not fully decayed plants found in bog areas, often burned as fuel. |
| pe..... | PE7 | A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition. The broad pennant flown by commodores. The church pennant indicating religious services are taking place aboard ship. The commissioning pennant flown on ceremonial occasions. |
| pe..... | PE7 | An aliphatic hydrocarbon of chemical formula C5H12; either of the three isomers n-pentane, methyl-butane (isopentane), and di-methyl-propane (neopentane); volatile liquids under normal conditions. |
| ph.. | PH4 | Excellent; cool; very good. |
| po... | PO5 | father, papa. |
| po.... | PO6 | The tuber of a plant, Solanum tuberosum, eaten as a starchy vegetable, particularly in the Americas and Europe; this plant. |
| po....... | PO9 | A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler. |
| ta.. | TA4 | A kind of cloth prepared by the Polynesians from the inner bark of the paper mulberry. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface on one or both sides; adhesive tape. |
| ta.... | TA6 | An image made in the skin with ink and a needle. |
| te.... | TE6 | A vessel for brewing and serving tea. |
| te.. | TE4 | The projection of a mammary gland from which, on female mammals, milk is secreted. |
| te.... | TE6 | One who holds a lease (a tenancy). |
| th.. | TH4 | Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison. |
| th... | TH5 | A rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly equivalent to baron. |
| th.. | TH4 | Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement. |
| th... | TH5 | The eighth letter of the Modern Greek alphabet, ninth in Old Greek: Θ, θ. |
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.
- pantheon† (PA8)
- phaeton† (PH7)
- phonate† (PH7)
- aeon (AE4)
- annatto (AN7)
- annotate (AN8)
- anon (AN4)
- ante (AN4)
- antenna (AN7)
- antennae (AN8)
- apnea (AP5)
- atone (AT5)
- atop (AT4)
- eaten (EA5)
- ethane (ET6)
- happen (HA6)
- hate (HA4)
- hath (HA4)
- hatha (HA5)
- heap (HE4)
- heat (HE4)
- heath (HE5)
- heathen (HE7)
- henna (HE5)
- heptane (HE7)
- naan (NA4)
- nana (NA4)
- nape (NA4)
- natant (NA6)
- neap (NE4)
- neat (NE4)
- neaten (NE6)
- neath (NE5)
- neonate (NE7)
- notate (NO6)
- oaten (OA5)
- oath (OA4)
- paean (PA5)
- pane (PA4)
- panettone (PA9)
- pant (PA4)
- papa (PA4)
- pate (PA4)
- patent (PA6)
- patentee (PA8)
- path (PA4)
- peahen (PE6)
- peat (PE4)
- pennant (PE7)
- pentane (PE7)
- phat (PH4)
- poppa (PO5)
- potato (PO6)
- potentate (PO9)
- tapa (TA4)
- tape (TA4)
- tattoo (TA6)
- teapot (TE6)
- teat (TE4)
- tenant (TE6)
- than (TH4)
- thane (TH5)
- that (TH4)
- theta (TH5)
Answer Definitions
- pantheon† (noun): A temple dedicated to all the gods.
- phaeton† (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- phonate† (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- aeon (noun): Alternative spelling of eon
- annatto (noun): A tropical American evergreen shrub, Bixa orellana; the lipstick tree; the fruit of the tree.
- annotate (verb): To add annotation to.
- anon (adverb): Straight away; at once.
- ante (noun): A price or cost, as in up the ante.
- antenna (noun): A feeler organ on the head of an insect, crab, or other animal.
- antennae (noun): plural of antenna
- apnea (noun): The cessation of breathing, most often in reference to transient instances thereof during sleep.
- atone (verb): To make reparation, compensation, amends or satisfaction for an offence, crime, mistake or deficiency.
- atop (preposition): On the top of.
- eaten (verb): past participle of eat
- ethane (noun): An aliphatic hydrocarbon, C2H6, gaseous at normal temperatures and pressures, being a constituent of natural gas.
- happen (verb): To occur or take place.
- hate (noun): An object of hatred.
- hath (verb): third-person singular simple present indicative form of have
- hatha (noun): The fundamental form of yoga that focuses on asanas
- heap (noun): A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of people.
- heat (noun): Thermal energy.
- heath (noun): A tract of level uncultivated land with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation; heathland.
- heathen (adjective): Not adhering to Christian religion (though usually excluding the Jews); pagan.
- henna (noun): A shrub, Lawsonia inermis, having fragrant reddish flowers
- heptane (noun): Any of the nine isomers of the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon C7H16, obtained from petroleum, especially n-heptane (CH3(CH2)5CH3)
- naan (noun): A type of round, flat bread baked in a tandoor popular in South and Central Asian cuisine.
- nana (noun): A banana.
- nape (noun): The back part of the neck.
- natant (adjective): floating or swimming (in water)
- neap (noun): The tongue or pole of a cart or other vehicle drawn by two animals.
- neat (adjective): Clean, tidy; free from dirt or impurities.
- neaten (verb): To make (someone or something) neat; to arrange (people or things) in an orderly, tidy way; to tidy.
- neath (preposition): Beneath.
- neonate (noun): A newborn infant; recently born baby.
- notate (verb): To mark with spots or lines, which are often colored.
- oaten (adjective): Made of oats.
- oath (noun): A solemn pledge or promise that invokes a deity, a ruler, or another entity (not necessarily present) to attest the truth of a statement or sincerity of one's desire to fulfill a contract or promise.
- paean (noun): A chant or song, especially a hymn of thanksgiving for deliverance or victory, to Apollo or sometimes another god or goddess; hence any song sung to solicit victory in battle.
- pane (noun): An individual sheet of glass in a window, door, etc.
- panettone (noun): A soft Italian sourdough brioche from Milan, with candied fruit, usually prepared for Christmas as a dessert.
- pant (noun): A quick breathing; a catching of the breath; a gasp: the panting of animals such as a dog with their tong hung out- as a form of thermoregulation.
- papa (noun): Dad, daddy, father; a familiar or old-fashioned term of address to one’s father.
- pate (noun): The head, particularly the top or crown.
- patent (noun): An official document granting an appointment, privilege, or right, or some property or title; letters patent. A grant of a monopoly over the manufacture, sale, and use of goods. A declaration issued by a government agency that the inventor of a new invention has the sole privilege of making, selling, or using the claimed invention for a specified period. A specific grant of ownership of a piece of real property; a land patent.
- patentee (noun): One to whom a grant is made, or a privilege secured, by patent.
- path (noun): A trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians.
- peahen (noun): A female peafowl.
- peat (noun): Soil formed of dead but not fully decayed plants found in bog areas, often burned as fuel.
- pennant (noun): A flag normally used by naval vessels to represent a special condition. The broad pennant flown by commodores. The church pennant indicating religious services are taking place aboard ship. The commissioning pennant flown on ceremonial occasions.
- pentane (noun): An aliphatic hydrocarbon of chemical formula C5H12; either of the three isomers n-pentane, methyl-butane (isopentane), and di-methyl-propane (neopentane); volatile liquids under normal conditions.
- phat (adjective): Excellent; cool; very good.
- poppa (noun): father, papa.
- potato (noun): The tuber of a plant, Solanum tuberosum, eaten as a starchy vegetable, particularly in the Americas and Europe; this plant.
- potentate (noun): A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler.
- tapa (noun): A kind of cloth prepared by the Polynesians from the inner bark of the paper mulberry.
- tape (noun): Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface on one or both sides; adhesive tape.
- tattoo (noun): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle.
- teapot (noun): A vessel for brewing and serving tea.
- teat (noun): The projection of a mammary gland from which, on female mammals, milk is secreted.
- tenant (noun): One who holds a lease (a tenancy).
- than (conjunction): Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison.
- thane (noun): A rank of nobility in pre-Norman England, roughly equivalent to baron.
- that (conjunction): Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement.
- theta (noun): The eighth letter of the Modern Greek alphabet, ninth in Old Greek: Θ, θ.