NYT Spelling Bee Answers for July 31, 2026
Game Summary
| Center Letter | M |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, i, l, o, p, t |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: 1) |
| Total Words | 48 words |
| Total Points | 164 points |
| Genius Level | 115 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 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| I | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| L | 7 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 10 |
| M | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 19 |
| O | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| P | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 6 |
| T | 1 | - | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 6 | Σ | 27 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 48 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AM×1 AT×1 |
|---|---|
| I | IM×2 |
| L | LA×2 LI×5 LL×1 LO×2 |
| M | MA×8 MI×3 MO×8 |
| O | OM×1 OP×2 |
| P | PA×3 PI×1 PO×2 |
| T | TA×3 TO×3 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | AMM×1 ATO×1 |
|---|---|
| I | IMA×1 IMP×1 |
| L | LAM×2 LIM×4 LIP×1 LLA×1 LOA×1 LOO×1 |
| M | MAI×3 MAL×2 MAM×3 MIL×2 MIT×1 MOA×1 MOI×1 MOL×2 MOM×1 MOO×2 MOT×1 |
| O | OMI×1 OPT×2 |
| P | PAL×1 PAM×1 PAP×1 PIM×1 POM×2 |
| T | TAI×1 TAM×1 TAT×1 TOM×3 |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| op..... † | OP7 | The best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction. |
| am.. | AM4 | Ammunition. |
| at.. | AT4 | The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. |
| im.. | IM4 | One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque. |
| im.... | IM6 | An African antelope, Aepyceros melampus, noted for its leaping ability; the male has ridged, curved horns. |
| la.. | LA4 | A master of Tibetan Buddhism. |
| la.. | LA4 | A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb. |
| li.. | LI4 | lima bean |
| li... | LI5 | A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go. |
| li.. | LI4 | Clipping of limousine. |
| li.. | LI4 | To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg. |
| li.... | LI6 | A nonmalignant tumor comprising fat cells. |
| ll... | LL5 | A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due. |
| lo.. | LO4 | A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A bag or wallet. |
| ma..... | MA7 | A one-piece swimsuit (for women) |
| ma.. | MA4 | To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body. |
| ma.. | MA4 | A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct. |
| ma.. | MA4 | Malted grain (sprouted grain) (usually barley), used in brewing and otherwise. |
| ma.. | MA4 | Mother, female parent. |
| ma... | MA5 | The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder. |
| ma.... | MA6 | An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young. |
| mi..... | MI7 | An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc. |
| mi.. | MI4 | A mitten |
| mo.. | MO4 | A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation. |
| mo.. | MO4 | To toil, to work hard. |
| mo.. | MO4 | A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute. |
| mo.. | MO4 | US standard spelling of moult. |
| mo... | MO5 | mother |
| mo... | MO5 | Money, cash. |
| mo.. | MO4 | Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve. |
| mo... | MO5 | A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement. |
| om.. | OM4 | To leave out or exclude. |
| op.... | OP6 | plural of optimum |
| pa.. | PA4 | Any of various evergreen trees from the family Palmae or Arecaceae, which are mainly found in the tropics. |
| pa... | PA5 | singular of pampas |
| pa....... | PA9 | An epithelial tumour, usually benign, with the appearance of a papilla |
| pi.. | PI4 | Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander. |
| po.. | PO4 | Show of magnificence; parade; display; power. |
| po.... | PO6 | A decorative ball made of pieces of soft fabric bound at the centre, most notably used in cheerleading. |
| ta...... | TA8 | A taillight. |
| ta.. | TA4 | To plug up with clay, earth, dry sand, sod, or other material, as a hole bored in a rock. |
| ta.... | TA6 | Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses. |
| to....... | TO9 | A plant of the nightshade family originating in Mexico, Physalis philadelphica, cultivated for its tomato-like green to green-purple fruit surrounded by a thin papery skin. |
| to.... | TO6 | A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit. |
| to.... | TO6 | Alternative spelling of tom-tit |
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.
- optimal† (OP7)
- ammo (AM4)
- atom (AT4)
- imam (IM4)
- impala (IM6)
- lama (LA4)
- lamp (LA4)
- lima (LI4)
- limit (LI5)
- limo (LI4)
- limp (LI4)
- lipoma (LI6)
- llama (LL5)
- loam (LO4)
- loom (LO4)
- mail (MA4)
- maillot (MA7)
- maim (MA4)
- mall (MA4)
- malt (MA4)
- mama (MA4)
- mamma (MA5)
- mammal (MA6)
- militia (MI7)
- mill (MI4)
- mitt (MI4)
- moat (MO4)
- moil (MO4)
- moll (MO4)
- molt (MO4)
- momma (MO5)
- moola (MO5)
- moot (MO4)
- motto (MO5)
- omit (OM4)
- optima (OP6)
- palm (PA4)
- pampa (PA5)
- papilloma (PA9)
- pimp (PI4)
- pomp (PO4)
- pompom (PO6)
- taillamp (TA8)
- tamp (TA4)
- tatami (TA6)
- tomatillo (TO9)
- tomato (TO6)
- tomtit (TO6)
Answer Definitions
- optimal† (adjective): The best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction.
- ammo (noun): Ammunition.
- atom (noun): The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
- imam (noun): One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque.
- impala (noun): An African antelope, Aepyceros melampus, noted for its leaping ability; the male has ridged, curved horns.
- lama (noun): A master of Tibetan Buddhism.
- lamp (noun): A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
- lima (noun): lima bean
- limit (noun): A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
- limo (noun): Clipping of limousine.
- limp (verb): To walk lamely, as if favouring one leg.
- lipoma (noun): A nonmalignant tumor comprising fat cells.
- llama (noun): A South American mammal of the camel family, Lama glama, used as a domestic beast of burden and a source of wool and meat.
- loam (noun): A type of soil; an earthy mixture of sand, silt and clay, with organic matter to which its fertility is chiefly due.
- loom (noun): A utensil; tool; a weapon; an article in general.
- mail (noun): A bag or wallet.
- maillot (noun): A one-piece swimsuit (for women)
- maim (verb): To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body.
- mall (noun): A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
- malt (noun): Malted grain (sprouted grain) (usually barley), used in brewing and otherwise.
- mama (noun): Mother, female parent.
- mamma (noun): The milk-secreting organ of female humans and other mammals which includes the mammary gland and the nipple or teat; a breast; an udder.
- mammal (noun): An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
- militia (noun): An army of trained civilians, which may be an official reserve army, called upon in time of need, the entire able-bodied population of a state which may also be called upon, or a private force not under government control.
- mill (noun): A grinding apparatus for substances such as grains, seeds, etc.
- mitt (noun): A mitten
- moat (noun): A deep, wide defensive ditch, normally filled with water, surrounding a fortified habitation.
- moil (verb): To toil, to work hard.
- moll (noun): A female companion of a gangster, especially a former or current prostitute.
- molt (verb): US standard spelling of moult.
- momma (noun): mother
- moola (noun): Money, cash.
- moot (adjective): Subject to discussion (originally at a moot); arguable, debatable, unsolved or impossible to solve.
- motto (noun): A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
- omit (verb): To leave out or exclude.
- optima (noun): plural of optimum
- palm (noun): Any of various evergreen trees from the family Palmae or Arecaceae, which are mainly found in the tropics.
- pampa (noun): singular of pampas
- papilloma (noun): An epithelial tumour, usually benign, with the appearance of a papilla
- pimp (noun): Someone who solicits customers for prostitution and acts as manager for a group of prostitutes; a pander.
- pomp (noun): Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.
- pompom (noun): A decorative ball made of pieces of soft fabric bound at the centre, most notably used in cheerleading.
- taillamp (noun): A taillight.
- tamp (verb): To plug up with clay, earth, dry sand, sod, or other material, as a hole bored in a rock.
- tatami (noun): Straw matting, in a standard size, used as a floor covering in Japanese houses.
- tomatillo (noun): A plant of the nightshade family originating in Mexico, Physalis philadelphica, cultivated for its tomato-like green to green-purple fruit surrounded by a thin papery skin.
- tomato (noun): A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit.
- tomtit (noun): Alternative spelling of tom-tit