NYT Spelling Bee Answers for May 25, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, i, m, n, r, v |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 43 words |
| Total Points | 227 points |
| Genius Level | 159 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 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 6 |
| I | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| M | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 8 |
| N | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| T | 4 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | 19 |
| V | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | 3 | Σ | 9 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 43 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AN×1 AR×1 AT×3 AV×1 |
|---|---|
| I | IN×1 IR×1 |
| M | MA×6 MI×2 |
| N | NA×1 |
| R | RA×4 |
| T | TA×10 TI×3 TR×6 |
| V | VA×2 VI×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ANT×1 ARR×1 ATR×1 ATT×2 AVA×1 |
|---|---|
| I | INV×1 IRR×1 |
| M | MAI×1 MAN×2 MAR×3 MIN×1 MIT×1 |
| N | NAT×1 |
| R | RAI×1 RAN×1 RAT×2 |
| T | TAI×1 TAM×2 TAN×3 TAR×3 TAT×1 TIA×1 TIN×1 TIT×1 TRA×3 TRI×3 |
| V | VAR×2 VIT×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) |
|---|---|---|
| va..... † | VA7 | A pestering animal such as one that kills or harasses a farmer's livestock or crops. |
| an.. | AN4 | Opposed to something. |
| ar.... | AR6 | Complete; downright; utter. |
| at... | AT5 | plural of atrium |
| at.... | AT6 | To gain (an object or desired result). |
| at... | AT5 | An essential oil extracted from flowers. |
| av.... | AV6 | An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu. |
| in....... | IN9 | not varying; constant |
| ir...... | IR8 | Causing irritation or inflammation. |
| ma...... | MA8 | To support (someone), to back up or assist (someone) in an action. |
| ma... | MA5 | A kind of fabric or blanket used in Latin America and southwestern United States. |
| ma.... | MA6 | The hymn portions of the Vedas; any passage of these used as a prayer. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A shop, store. |
| ma.... | MA6 | Any of various passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, which also includes swallows, that catch insects whilst flying. |
| ma..... | MA7 | Martin (attributive); used in taxonomic names for organisms having English names of the form "Martin's ..." |
| mi.. | MI4 | A building or institution where money (originally, only coins) is produced under government licence. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A mitten |
| na.... | NA6 | floating or swimming (in water) |
| ra... | RA5 | A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt. |
| ra.. | RA4 | To speak or shout at length in uncontrollable anger. |
| ra..... | RA7 | A swiftly repeated knocking sound. |
| ra.... | RA6 | Any of several species of climbing palm of the genus Calamus. |
| ta... | TA5 | A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A type of soy sauce made without wheat, having a rich flavor. |
| ta..... | TA7 | One of a family of squirrel-sized South American monkeys. |
| ta.... | TA6 | Tannic acid or any of its derivatives. |
| ta..... | TA7 | a flourish on a trumpet |
| ta.... | TA6 | A Hindu or Buddhist religious or esoteric text. |
| ta.. | TA4 | Sharp to the taste; acid; sour. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A kind of woven woollen cloth with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles, associated with Scottish Highlanders, different clans and some Scottish families and institutions having their own distinctive patterns. |
| ta.... | TA6 | A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar. |
| ta.... | TA6 | Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses. |
| ti... | TI5 | The papal crown. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A slight coloring. |
| ti... | TI5 | Something or someone of very large stature, greatness, or godliness. |
| tr... | TR5 | Elongated or trailing portion. The elongated back portion of a dress or skirt (or an ornamental piece of material added to similar effect), which drags along the ground. |
| tr... | TR5 | An identifying characteristic, habit or trend. |
| tr.. | TR4 | A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on tracks in the road (called a streetcar or trolley in North America). |
| tr.. | TR4 | To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess. |
| tr...... | TR8 | A type of boat with three parallel hulls. |
| tr.... | TR6 | Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information. |
| va..... | VA7 | Showing variety, diverse. |
| vi..... | VI7 | Any of a specific group of organic compounds essential in small quantities for healthy human growth, metabolism, development, and body function; found in minute amounts in plant and animal foods or sometimes produced synthetically; deficiencies of specific vitamins produce specific disorders. |
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.
- varmint† (VA7)
- anti (AN4)
- arrant (AR6)
- atria (AT5)
- attain (AT6)
- attar (AT5)
- avatar (AV6)
- invariant (IN9)
- irritant (IR8)
- maintain (MA8)
- manta (MA5)
- mantra (MA6)
- mart (MA4)
- martin (MA6)
- martini (MA7)
- mint (MI4)
- mitt (MI4)
- natant (NA6)
- raita (RA5)
- rant (RA4)
- ratatat (RA7)
- rattan (RA6)
- taint (TA5)
- tamari (TA6)
- tamarin (TA7)
- tannin (TA6)
- tantara (TA7)
- tantra (TA6)
- tart (TA4)
- tartan (TA6)
- tartar (TA6)
- tatami (TA6)
- tiara (TI5)
- tint (TI4)
- titan (TI5)
- train (TR5)
- trait (TR5)
- tram (TR4)
- trim (TR4)
- trimaran (TR8)
- trivia (TR6)
- variant (VA7)
- vitamin (VI7)
Answer Definitions
- varmint† (noun): A pestering animal such as one that kills or harasses a farmer's livestock or crops.
- anti (adjective): Opposed to something.
- arrant (adjective): Complete; downright; utter.
- atria (noun): plural of atrium
- attain (verb): To gain (an object or desired result).
- attar (noun): An essential oil extracted from flowers.
- avatar (noun): An incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu.
- invariant (adjective): not varying; constant
- irritant (adjective): Causing irritation or inflammation.
- maintain (verb): To support (someone), to back up or assist (someone) in an action.
- manta (noun): A kind of fabric or blanket used in Latin America and southwestern United States.
- mantra (noun): The hymn portions of the Vedas; any passage of these used as a prayer.
- mart (noun): A shop, store.
- martin (noun): Any of various passerine birds of the family Hirundinidae, which also includes swallows, that catch insects whilst flying.
- martini (adjective): Martin (attributive); used in taxonomic names for organisms having English names of the form "Martin's ..."
- mint (noun): A building or institution where money (originally, only coins) is produced under government licence.
- mitt (noun): A mitten
- natant (adjective): floating or swimming (in water)
- raita (noun): A condiment used as a dip or sauce in the cuisine of southern Asia, made from seasoned yogurt.
- rant (verb): To speak or shout at length in uncontrollable anger.
- ratatat (noun): A swiftly repeated knocking sound.
- rattan (noun): Any of several species of climbing palm of the genus Calamus.
- taint (noun): A contamination, decay or putrefaction, especially in food.
- tamari (noun): A type of soy sauce made without wheat, having a rich flavor.
- tamarin (noun): One of a family of squirrel-sized South American monkeys.
- tannin (noun): Tannic acid or any of its derivatives.
- tantara (noun): a flourish on a trumpet
- tantra (noun): A Hindu or Buddhist religious or esoteric text.
- tart (adjective): Sharp to the taste; acid; sour.
- tartan (noun): A kind of woven woollen cloth with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles, associated with Scottish Highlanders, different clans and some Scottish families and institutions having their own distinctive patterns.
- tartar (noun): A red compound deposited during wine making; mostly potassium hydrogen tartrate — a source of cream of tartar.
- tatami (noun): Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses.
- tiara (noun): The papal crown.
- tint (noun): A slight coloring.
- titan (noun): Something or someone of very large stature, greatness, or godliness.
- train (noun): Elongated or trailing portion. The elongated back portion of a dress or skirt (or an ornamental piece of material added to similar effect), which drags along the ground.
- trait (noun): An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
- tram (noun): A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on tracks in the road (called a streetcar or trolley in North America).
- trim (verb): To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess.
- trimaran (noun): A type of boat with three parallel hulls.
- trivia (noun): Insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information.
- variant (adjective): Showing variety, diverse.
- vitamin (noun): Any of a specific group of organic compounds essential in small quantities for healthy human growth, metabolism, development, and body function; found in minute amounts in plant and animal foods or sometimes produced synthetically; deficiencies of specific vitamins produce specific disorders.