NYT Spelling Bee Answers for September 23, 2026
Today's NYT Spelling Bee uses center letter I with outer letters D, G, L, N, Y, Z. The puzzle contains 41 words worth 224 points, including 1 pangram. The longest word is 10 letters. To reach Genius you need 157 points; Queen Bee requires all 224 points. Today is not a bingo — at least one letter starts no words. Compared with the eight-year average of about 183 points per puzzle, this is a larger-than-average day.
Game Summary
| Center Letter | I |
|---|---|
| Outer Letters | d, g, l, n, y, z |
| # of Pangrams | 1 (Perfect: none) |
| Total Words | 41 words |
| Total Points | 224 points |
| Genius Level | 157 points |
| Bingo? | No |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 14 |
| G | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 12 |
| I | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| L | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| N | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Y | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Z | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 4 | Σ | 9 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 5 | - | 1 | 41 |
Two-Letter List (2LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding two letters.
| D | DI×13 DY×1 |
|---|---|
| G | GI×11 GL×1 |
| I | ID×4 IL×1 IN×1 |
| L | LI×2 LY×1 |
| N | NI×2 |
| Y | |
| Z | ZI×4 |
Three-Letter List (3LL) Hints
The following list shows the number of solution words that begin with the corresponding three letters.
| D | DID×2 DIG×1 DIL×2 DIN×4 DIZ×4 DYI×1 |
|---|---|
| G | GID×3 GIG×3 GIL×4 GIN×1 GLI×1 |
| I | IDL×2 IDY×2 ILL×1 INN×1 |
| L | LIL×1 LIN×1 LYI×1 |
| N | NIG×1 NIN×1 |
| Y | |
| Z | ZIG×1 ZIN×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) |
|---|---|---|
| di........ † | DI10 | To a dizzying degree, or in a dizzying manner |
| di...... | DI8 | present participle of diddle |
| di.... | DI6 | A small amount of no worth. |
| di..... | DI7 | The action performed by a person or thing that digs. |
| di.. | DI4 | Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed. |
| di... | DI5 | Redolent of dill (the herb). |
| di.. | DI4 | Very minor damage, a small dent or chip. |
| di..... | DI7 | present participle of ding |
| di... | DI5 | dark, dull |
| di.... | DI6 | Eating dinner as a social function. |
| di..... | DI7 | In a dizzy manner. |
| di... | DI5 | Experiencing a sensation of whirling and of being giddy, unbalanced, or lightheaded. |
| di...... | DI8 | Tending to make one (actually or metaphorically) dizzy or confused, as of great speed or height. |
| dy... | DY5 | Approaching death; about to die; moribund. |
| gi..... | GI7 | In a giddy manner. |
| gi... | GI5 | Feeling a sense of spinning in the head, causing a perception of unsteadiness and being about to fall down; dizzy. |
| gi...... | GI8 | No definition found; request failed |
| gi..... | GI7 | gerund of gig (in various senses). The act of engaging in a musical performance, acting in a theatre production, etc. The practice of working at a job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis. The act of catching or fishing with a gig or fizgig. |
| gi...... | GI8 | present participle of giggle |
| gi.... | GI6 | Prone to giggling. |
| gi.. | GI4 | To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf. |
| gi..... | GI7 | present participle of gild |
| gi.. | GI4 | a breathing organ of fish and other aquatic animals |
| gi..... | GI7 | present participle of gill |
| gi..... | GI7 | present participle of gin |
| gl..... | GL7 | The action or motion of something that glides. |
| id.... | ID6 | present participle of idle |
| id.. | ID4 | Without specific purpose, intent or effort. |
| id.. | ID4 | Alternative spelling of idyll |
| id... | ID5 | Any poem or short written piece composed in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls. |
| il.. | IL4 | Badly; poorly. |
| in.... | IN6 | A period of play in which members of a visiting baseball team attempt to hit a baseball pitched by the opposing home team until three players are called out, followed by a similar attempt by members of the home baseball team against the visiting team's pitching. There are nine or more innings in a regulation baseball game. |
| li.. | LI4 | Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species. |
| li.... | LI6 | A covering for the inside surface of something. |
| ly... | LY5 | present participle of lie (“to rest in a horizontal position”). |
| ni...... | NI8 | present participle of niggle |
| ni... | NI5 | A silly or foolish person. |
| zi..... | ZI7 | present participle of zig |
| zi.. | ZI4 | A short high-pitched humming sound, such as that made by a bullet or vibrating string. |
| zi..... | ZI7 | present participle of zing |
| zi... | ZI5 | Full of zest. |
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.
- dizzyingly† (DI10)
- diddling (DI8)
- diddly (DI6)
- digging (DI7)
- dill (DI4)
- dilly (DI5)
- ding (DI4)
- dinging (DI7)
- dingy (DI5)
- dining (DI6)
- dizzily (DI7)
- dizzy (DI5)
- dizzying (DI8)
- dying (DY5)
- giddily (GI7)
- giddy (GI5)
- giddying (GI8)
- gigging (GI7)
- giggling (GI8)
- giggly (GI6)
- gild (GI4)
- gilding (GI7)
- gill (GI4)
- gilling (GI7)
- ginning (GI7)
- gliding (GL7)
- idling (ID6)
- idly (ID4)
- idyl (ID4)
- idyll (ID5)
- illy (IL4)
- inning (IN6)
- lily (LI4)
- lining (LI6)
- lying (LY5)
- niggling (NI8)
- ninny (NI5)
- zigging (ZI7)
- zing (ZI4)
- zinging (ZI7)
- zingy (ZI5)
Answer Definitions
- dizzyingly† (adverb): To a dizzying degree, or in a dizzying manner
- diddling (verb): present participle of diddle
- diddly (noun): A small amount of no worth.
- digging (noun): The action performed by a person or thing that digs.
- dill (noun): Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
- dilly (adjective): Redolent of dill (the herb).
- ding (noun): Very minor damage, a small dent or chip.
- dinging (verb): present participle of ding
- dingy (adjective): dark, dull
- dining (noun): Eating dinner as a social function.
- dizzily (adverb): In a dizzy manner.
- dizzy (adjective): Experiencing a sensation of whirling and of being giddy, unbalanced, or lightheaded.
- dizzying (adjective): Tending to make one (actually or metaphorically) dizzy or confused, as of great speed or height.
- dying (adjective): Approaching death; about to die; moribund.
- giddily (adverb): In a giddy manner.
- giddy (adjective): Feeling a sense of spinning in the head, causing a perception of unsteadiness and being about to fall down; dizzy.
- giddying (n/a): No definition found; request failed
- gigging (noun): gerund of gig (in various senses). The act of engaging in a musical performance, acting in a theatre production, etc. The practice of working at a job, especially one that is freelance or temporary, or done on an on-demand basis. The act of catching or fishing with a gig or fizgig.
- giggling (verb): present participle of giggle
- giggly (adjective): Prone to giggling.
- gild (verb): To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.
- gilding (verb): present participle of gild
- gill (noun): a breathing organ of fish and other aquatic animals
- gilling (verb): present participle of gill
- ginning (verb): present participle of gin
- gliding (noun): The action or motion of something that glides.
- idling (verb): present participle of idle
- idly (adverb): Without specific purpose, intent or effort.
- idyl (noun): Alternative spelling of idyll
- idyll (noun): Any poem or short written piece composed in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls.
- illy (adverb): Badly; poorly.
- inning (noun): A period of play in which members of a visiting baseball team attempt to hit a baseball pitched by the opposing home team until three players are called out, followed by a similar attempt by members of the home baseball team against the visiting team's pitching. There are nine or more innings in a regulation baseball game.
- lily (noun): Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
- lining (noun): A covering for the inside surface of something.
- lying (verb): present participle of lie (“to rest in a horizontal position”).
- niggling (verb): present participle of niggle
- ninny (noun): A silly or foolish person.
- zigging (verb): present participle of zig
- zing (noun): A short high-pitched humming sound, such as that made by a bullet or vibrating string.
- zinging (verb): present participle of zing
- zingy (adjective): Full of zest.