NYT Spelling Bee Answers for August 18, 2026
Today's NYT Spelling Bee uses center letter B with outer letters A, D, E, G, H, N. The puzzle contains 42 words worth 228 points, including 2 pangrams. The longest word is 10 letters. To reach Genius you need 160 points; Queen Bee requires all 228 points. Today is a bingo — every letter starts at least one word. Compared with the eight-year average of about 183 points per puzzle, this is a larger-than-average day.
Game Summary
| Center Letter | B |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | a, d, e, g, h, n |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 42 words |
| Total Points | 228 points |
| Genius Level | 160 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 | 10 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| B | 10 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 3 | - | - | 32 |
| D | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| E | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| G | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| H | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 5 |
| N | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | Σ | 11 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 5 | - | 1 | 42 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| A | AB×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BA×19 BE×13 |
| D | DA×1 |
| E | EB×1 |
| G | GA×1 |
| H | HA×1 HE×4 |
| N | NA×1 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| A | ABE×1 |
|---|---|
| B | BAA×1 BAB×2 BAD×3 BAG×2 BAN×11 BEA×5 BED×2 BEE×1 BEG×2 BEH×2 BEN×1 |
| D | DAB×1 |
| E | EBB×1 |
| G | GAB×1 |
| H | HAN×1 HEA×3 HEN×1 |
| N | NAB×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) |
|---|---|---|
| he...... † | HE8 | No definition found; request failed |
| he........ † | HE10 | No definition found; request failed |
| ab.. | AB4 | Poetic for 'in the sack.' |
| ba... | BA5 | simple past tense and past participle of baa |
| ba.. | BA4 | A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A baby or infant; a very young human or animal. |
| ba.. | BA4 | simple past tense of bid |
| ba... | BA5 | A distinctive mark, token, sign, emblem or cognizance, worn on one's clothing, as an insignia of some rank, or of the membership of an organization. |
| ba.... | BA6 | simple past and past participle of badge |
| ba..... | BA7 | Portable cases, large bags, and similar equipment for manually carrying, pushing, or pulling personal items while traveling |
| ba.... | BA6 | simple past and past participle of bag |
| ba.... | BA6 | An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A strip of material used for strengthening or coupling. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached. A belt or strap that is part of a machine. |
| ba..... | BA7 | No definition found; request failed |
| ba...... | BA8 | No definition found; request failed |
| ba..... | BA7 | A large kerchief, usually colourful and used either as headgear or as a handkerchief, neckerchief, bikini, or sweatband. |
| ba...... | BA8 | Alternative spelling of bandana |
| ba.... | BA6 | Marked with bands of colour. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A cause of misery or death. |
| ba.. | BA4 | A sudden percussive noise. |
| ba.... | BA6 | No definition found; request failed |
| ba.... | BA6 | simple past tense and past participle of ban |
| be.. | BE4 | Prayer, later especially with a rosary. |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bead |
| be.. | BE4 | Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods. |
| be..... | BE7 | A piece of soft furniture consisting of a leather or vinyl covering stuffed with dry beans or other similar pellets. |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bean |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of bed |
| be..... | BE7 | The condition of having unkempt hair, generally as a result of having just woken up from sleep. |
| be.. | BE4 | past participle of be. |
| be... | BE5 | simple past tense of begin |
| be.... | BE6 | simple past tense and past participle of beg |
| be.... | BE6 | To deliberately remove the head of; to cut off (someone's) head. |
| be...... | BE8 | simple past and past participle of behead |
| be.. | BE4 | To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means. |
| da.... | DA6 | simple past tense and past participle of dab |
| eb... | EB5 | simple past tense and past participle of ebb |
| ga.... | GA6 | simple past and past participle of gab |
| ha..... | HA7 | No definition found; request failed |
| he...... | HE8 | No definition found; request failed |
| he..... | HE7 | No definition found; request failed |
| na.... | NA6 | simple past tense and past participle of nab |
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.
- headbang† (HE8)
- headbanged† (HE10)
- abed (AB4)
- baaed (BA5)
- baba (BA4)
- babe (BA4)
- bade (BA4)
- badge (BA5)
- badged (BA6)
- baggage (BA7)
- bagged (BA6)
- banana (BA6)
- band (BA4)
- bandage (BA7)
- bandaged (BA8)
- bandana (BA7)
- bandanna (BA8)
- banded (BA6)
- bane (BA4)
- bang (BA4)
- banged (BA6)
- banned (BA6)
- bead (BE4)
- beaded (BE6)
- bean (BE4)
- beanbag (BE7)
- beaned (BE6)
- bedded (BE6)
- bedhead (BE7)
- been (BE4)
- began (BE5)
- begged (BE6)
- behead (BE6)
- beheaded (BE8)
- bend (BE4)
- dabbed (DA6)
- ebbed (EB5)
- gabbed (GA6)
- handbag (HA7)
- headband (HE8)
- henbane (HE7)
- nabbed (NA6)
Answer Definitions
- headbang† (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- headbanged† (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- abed (adverb): Poetic for 'in the sack.'
- baaed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of baa
- baba (noun): A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
- babe (noun): A baby or infant; a very young human or animal.
- bade (verb): simple past tense of bid
- badge (noun): A distinctive mark, token, sign, emblem or cognizance, worn on one's clothing, as an insignia of some rank, or of the membership of an organization.
- badged (verb): simple past and past participle of badge
- baggage (noun): Portable cases, large bags, and similar equipment for manually carrying, pushing, or pulling personal items while traveling
- bagged (verb): simple past and past participle of bag
- banana (noun): An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. In particular, the sweet, yellow fruit of the Cavendish banana cultivar, which may be eaten raw, as distinct from e.g. a plantain for cooking.
- band (noun): A strip of material used for strengthening or coupling. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached. A belt or strap that is part of a machine.
- bandage (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- bandaged (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- bandana (noun): A large kerchief, usually colourful and used either as headgear or as a handkerchief, neckerchief, bikini, or sweatband.
- bandanna (noun): Alternative spelling of bandana
- banded (adjective): Marked with bands of colour.
- bane (noun): A cause of misery or death.
- bang (noun): A sudden percussive noise.
- banged (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- banned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of ban
- bead (noun): Prayer, later especially with a rosary.
- beaded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bead
- bean (noun): Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods.
- beanbag (noun): A piece of soft furniture consisting of a leather or vinyl covering stuffed with dry beans or other similar pellets.
- beaned (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bean
- bedded (verb): simple past tense and past participle of bed
- bedhead (noun): The condition of having unkempt hair, generally as a result of having just woken up from sleep.
- been (verb): past participle of be.
- began (verb): simple past tense of begin
- begged (verb): simple past tense and past participle of beg
- behead (verb): To deliberately remove the head of; to cut off (someone's) head.
- beheaded (verb): simple past and past participle of behead
- bend (verb): To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means.
- dabbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of dab
- ebbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of ebb
- gabbed (verb): simple past and past participle of gab
- handbag (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- headband (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- henbane (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- nabbed (verb): simple past tense and past participle of nab