NYT Spelling Bee Answers for September 3, 2026
Today's NYT Spelling Bee uses center letter T with outer letters C, E, I, K, L, N. The puzzle contains 60 words worth 291 points, including 2 pangrams. The longest word is 11 letters. To reach Genius you need 204 points; Queen Bee requires all 291 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 | T |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | c, e, i, k, l, n |
| # of Pangrams | 2 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 60 words |
| Total Points | 291 points |
| Genius Level | 204 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 | 11 | Σ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| E | - | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| I | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 6 |
| K | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| L | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 11 |
| N | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| T | 10 | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 18 | Σ | 20 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 60 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| C | CE×1 CI×1 CL×2 |
|---|---|
| E | EC×1 EL×4 EN×3 |
| I | IL×1 IN×5 |
| K | KE×2 KI×4 KN×2 |
| L | LE×3 LI×8 |
| N | NE×3 NI×2 |
| T | TE×5 TI×13 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| C | CEN×1 CIT×1 CLI×2 |
|---|---|
| E | ECL×1 ELE×2 ELI×2 ENT×3 |
| I | ILL×1 INC×1 INL×1 INT×3 |
| K | KEN×1 KET×1 KIL×1 KIN×1 KIT×2 KNE×1 KNI×1 |
| L | LEN×3 LIC×1 LIL×1 LIN×3 LIT×3 |
| N | NEC×1 NET×2 NIN×1 NIT×1 |
| T | TEE×1 TEL×2 TEN×2 TIC×3 TIK×1 TIL×3 TIN×4 TIT×2 |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| li........ † | LI10 | A young quahog, or hard clam |
| te......... † | TE11 | Of or pertaining to telekinesis. |
| ce.. | CE4 | A subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the main unit of currency in many countries. Symbol: ¢. |
| ci.. | CI4 | to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another. |
| cl.... | CL6 | A customer, a buyer or receiver of goods or services. |
| cl....... | CL9 | The body or class of people who frequent an establishment or purchase a service, especially when considered as forming a more-or-less homogeneous group of clients in terms of values or habits. |
| ec...... | EC8 | Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles. |
| el... | EL5 | One chosen or set apart. |
| el..... | EL7 | Someone who is elected. |
| el.... | EL6 | To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer. |
| el... | EL5 | Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician. |
| en..... | EN7 | An informal alliance or friendly understanding between two states. |
| en.... | EN6 | To lure; to attract by arousing desire or hope. |
| en..... | EN7 | To give a title to. (Can we add an example for this sense?) |
| il..... | IL7 | Not approved by law, but not invalid. |
| in.... | IN6 | To stir up or excite; to rouse or goad into action. |
| in... | IN5 | To let in; admit. |
| in... | IN5 | intelligence (secret information) |
| in....... | IN9 | The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty. |
| in.... | IN6 | Something that is intended. |
| ke... | KE5 | A type of fabric made of interwoven cloth strips, native to Ghana. |
| ke.... | KE6 | A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid. |
| ki.. | KI4 | To gather up (skirts) around the body. |
| ki..... | KI7 | Relating to motion |
| ki.. | KI4 | A bird of prey of the family Accipitridae. |
| ki.... | KI6 | A young cat, especially before sexual maturity (reached at about seven months). |
| kn... | KN5 | simple past tense and past participle of kneel. |
| kn.. | KN4 | To turn thread or yarn into a piece of fabric by forming loops that are pulled through each other. This can be done by hand with needles or by machine. |
| le..... | LE7 | Lax; not strict; tolerant of dissent or deviation |
| le.. | LE4 | Alternative letter-case form of Lent |
| le.... | LE6 | Any of several plants of the genus Lens, especially Lens culinaris, from southwest Asia, that have edible, lens-shaped seeds within flattened pods. |
| li... | LI5 | Not forbidden by formal or informal rules. |
| li.. | LI4 | To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music. |
| li.... | LI6 | A small passerine bird, the common linnet (Linaria cannabina, syn. Carduelis cannabina), in the finch family Fringillidae, native to Europe, western Asia, and north Africa. |
| li.. | LI4 | Clinging fuzzy fluff that clings to fabric or accumulates in one's pockets or navel etc. |
| li.... | LI6 | A horizontal structural beam spanning an opening, such as between the uprights of a door or a window, and which supports the wall above. |
| li.. | LI4 | Abridged; refers to a simpler or unpaid version of a product. |
| li.... | LI6 | Small in size. |
| ne..... | NE7 | A strip of cloth worn around the neck and tied in the front. See also bowtie. |
| ne..... | NE7 | Resembling or characteristic of a net, especially in having many small openings. |
| ne.... | NE6 | Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, the stinging nettles: Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle), Urtica incisa (Australian nettle); Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis); Bull nettles and spurge nettles of genus Cnidoscolus: Cnidoscolus stimulosus, bull nettle, spurge nettle, Cnidoscolus texanus, Texas bull nettle, Cnidoscolus urens, bull nettle, Nettle trees or tree nettles: Various species of the genus Dendrocnide: Urera baccifera (scratchbush), Urtica ferox (tree nettle); rock nettle (Eucnide); small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla). |
| ni...... | NI8 | The cardinal number occurring after eighteen and before twenty, represented in Roman numerals as XIX and in Arabic numerals as 19. It is the last/largest of the "teens". |
| ni.. | NI4 | Informal spelling of night. |
| te.. | TE4 | Synonym of teenager: a person between 13 and 19 years old. |
| te.. | TE4 | To count, reckon, or enumerate. |
| te... | TE5 | An opinion, belief, or principle that is held as absolute truth by someone or especially an organization. |
| te.. | TE4 | A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A tiny woodland arachnid of the suborder Ixodida. |
| ti.... | TI6 | A pass entitling the holder to admission to a show, concert, etc. |
| ti.... | TI6 | The act of tickling. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Carved talisman in humanoid form, common to the cultures of the Pacific Ocean. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc. |
| ti.. | TI4 | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| ti.. | TI4 | To slope or incline (something); to slant. |
| ti... | TI5 | A tint or colour. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A spike or point on an implement or tool, especially a prong of a fork or a tooth of a comb. |
| ti.... | TI6 | To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell. |
| ti.. | TI4 | A slight coloring. |
| ti... | TI5 | An appellation given to a person or family to signify either veneration, official position, social rank, the possession of assets or properties, or a professional or academic qualification. See also Category:Titles |
| ti.... | TI6 | Any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j. |
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.
- littleneck† (LI10)
- telekinetic† (TE11)
- cent (CE4)
- cite (CI4)
- client (CL6)
- clientele (CL9)
- eclectic (EC8)
- elect (EL5)
- electee (EL7)
- elicit (EL6)
- elite (EL5)
- entente (EN7)
- entice (EN6)
- entitle (EN7)
- illicit (IL7)
- incite (IN6)
- inlet (IN5)
- intel (IN5)
- intellect (IN9)
- intent (IN6)
- kente (KE5)
- kettle (KE6)
- kilt (KI4)
- kinetic (KI7)
- kite (KI4)
- kitten (KI6)
- knelt (KN5)
- knit (KN4)
- lenient (LE7)
- lent (LE4)
- lentil (LE6)
- licit (LI5)
- lilt (LI4)
- linnet (LI6)
- lint (LI4)
- lintel (LI6)
- lite (LI4)
- little (LI6)
- necktie (NE7)
- netlike (NE7)
- nettle (NE6)
- nineteen (NI8)
- nite (NI4)
- teen (TE4)
- tell (TE4)
- tenet (TE5)
- tent (TE4)
- tick (TI4)
- ticket (TI6)
- tickle (TI6)
- tiki (TI4)
- tile (TI4)
- till (TI4)
- tilt (TI4)
- tinct (TI5)
- tine (TI4)
- tinkle (TI6)
- tint (TI4)
- title (TI5)
- tittle (TI6)
Answer Definitions
- littleneck† (noun): A young quahog, or hard clam
- telekinetic† (adjective): Of or pertaining to telekinesis.
- cent (noun): A subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the main unit of currency in many countries. Symbol: ¢.
- cite (verb): to quote; to repeat, as a passage from a book, or the words of another.
- client (noun): A customer, a buyer or receiver of goods or services.
- clientele (noun): The body or class of people who frequent an establishment or purchase a service, especially when considered as forming a more-or-less homogeneous group of clients in terms of values or habits.
- eclectic (adjective): Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of various doctrines, methods or styles.
- elect (noun): One chosen or set apart.
- electee (noun): Someone who is elected.
- elicit (verb): To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.
- elite (adjective): Of high birth or social position; aristocratic or patrician.
- entente (noun): An informal alliance or friendly understanding between two states.
- entice (verb): To lure; to attract by arousing desire or hope.
- entitle (verb): To give a title to. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- illicit (adjective): Not approved by law, but not invalid.
- incite (verb): To stir up or excite; to rouse or goad into action.
- inlet (verb): To let in; admit.
- intel (noun): intelligence (secret information)
- intellect (noun): The faculty of thinking, judging, abstract reasoning, and conceptual understanding; the cognitive faculty.
- intent (noun): Something that is intended.
- kente (noun): A type of fabric made of interwoven cloth strips, native to Ghana.
- kettle (noun): A vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food, usually metal and equipped with a lid.
- kilt (verb): To gather up (skirts) around the body.
- kinetic (adjective): Relating to motion
- kite (noun): A bird of prey of the family Accipitridae.
- kitten (noun): A young cat, especially before sexual maturity (reached at about seven months).
- knelt (verb): simple past tense and past participle of kneel.
- knit (verb): To turn thread or yarn into a piece of fabric by forming loops that are pulled through each other. This can be done by hand with needles or by machine.
- lenient (adjective): Lax; not strict; tolerant of dissent or deviation
- lent (noun): Alternative letter-case form of Lent
- lentil (noun): Any of several plants of the genus Lens, especially Lens culinaris, from southwest Asia, that have edible, lens-shaped seeds within flattened pods.
- licit (adjective): Not forbidden by formal or informal rules.
- lilt (verb): To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
- linnet (noun): A small passerine bird, the common linnet (Linaria cannabina, syn. Carduelis cannabina), in the finch family Fringillidae, native to Europe, western Asia, and north Africa.
- lint (noun): Clinging fuzzy fluff that clings to fabric or accumulates in one's pockets or navel etc.
- lintel (noun): A horizontal structural beam spanning an opening, such as between the uprights of a door or a window, and which supports the wall above.
- lite (adjective): Abridged; refers to a simpler or unpaid version of a product.
- little (adjective): Small in size.
- necktie (noun): A strip of cloth worn around the neck and tied in the front. See also bowtie.
- netlike (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of a net, especially in having many small openings.
- nettle (noun): Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, the stinging nettles: Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle), Urtica incisa (Australian nettle); Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis); Bull nettles and spurge nettles of genus Cnidoscolus: Cnidoscolus stimulosus, bull nettle, spurge nettle, Cnidoscolus texanus, Texas bull nettle, Cnidoscolus urens, bull nettle, Nettle trees or tree nettles: Various species of the genus Dendrocnide: Urera baccifera (scratchbush), Urtica ferox (tree nettle); rock nettle (Eucnide); small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
- nineteen (numeral): The cardinal number occurring after eighteen and before twenty, represented in Roman numerals as XIX and in Arabic numerals as 19. It is the last/largest of the "teens".
- nite (noun): Informal spelling of night.
- teen (noun): Synonym of teenager: a person between 13 and 19 years old.
- tell (verb): To count, reckon, or enumerate.
- tenet (noun): An opinion, belief, or principle that is held as absolute truth by someone or especially an organization.
- tent (noun): A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather.
- tick (noun): A tiny woodland arachnid of the suborder Ixodida.
- ticket (noun): A pass entitling the holder to admission to a show, concert, etc.
- tickle (noun): The act of tickling.
- tiki (noun): Carved talisman in humanoid form, common to the cultures of the Pacific Ocean.
- tile (noun): A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc.
- till (preposition): Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time).
- tilt (verb): To slope or incline (something); to slant.
- tinct (noun): A tint or colour.
- tine (noun): A spike or point on an implement or tool, especially a prong of a fork or a tooth of a comb.
- tinkle (verb): To make light metallic sounds, rather like a very small bell.
- tint (noun): A slight coloring.
- title (noun): An appellation given to a person or family to signify either veneration, official position, social rank, the possession of assets or properties, or a professional or academic qualification. See also Category:Titles
- tittle (noun): Any small dot, stroke, or diacritical mark, especially if part of a letter, or if a letter-like abbreviation; in particular, the dots over the Latin letters i and j.