Edited by Sam Ezersky
Pangram - Jul 20, 2026
Monday, July 20th, 2026
Answers - Jul 20, 2026
Tap a word for its definition
4-Letter Words22
1 pt each5-Letter Words6
5 pts each6-Letter Words5
6 pts each7-Letter Words2
7 pts each8-Letter Words1
8 pts each9-Letter Words2
9 pts eachTwo-Letter List
How many words start with each two-letter pair
- hi–3
- in–1
- li–7
- lo–2
- mi–8
- mo–4
- ni–1
- no–2
- ol–1
- om–1
- on–1
- th–1
- ti–4
- to–2
Rankings
Points needed for each rank
- Beginner0 pts(0%)
- Good Start7 pts(5%)
- Moving Up20 pts(15%)
- Good34 pts(25%)
- Solid54 pts(40%)
- Nice68 pts(50%)
- Great82 pts(60%)
- Amazing88 pts(65%)
- Genius95 pts(70%)
- Queen Bee136 pts(100%)
Path to Genius
- Genius takes between 13 and 35 words, depending on which ones you find.
- You need at least a 7-letter word to reach Genius.
- Skip the pangrams and you need 90% of the remaining 105 points.
- Find every pangram (31 pts) and you only need 61% of the rest.
Letter Distribution
Words by starting letter · yellow = pangram starter
- h3
- i1
- l9
- m12
- n3
- o3
- t7
Here are the NYT Spelling Bee answers for Monday, July 20, 2026. The Monday, July 20, 2026 puzzle uses center letter I with H, L, M, N, O, T around it, and has 38 words worth 136 points — you need 95 points for Genius. Every word is listed below by length, along with the pangram and the day's rank thresholds.
Spelling Bee answers for Jul 20, 2026
Every accepted word, grouped by length. Words must use the center letter and be at least four letters long.
All 38 answers by length
Letter clues: Center letter I · Outer letters H L M N O T
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| 4-letter words (22) | HILL, HILT, HINT, INTO, LILT, LIMN, LIMO, LINT, LION, LOIN, MILL, MINI, MINT, MITT, MOIL, OLIO, OMIT, THIN, TILL, TILT, TINT, TOIL |
| 5-letter words (6) | LIMIT, LITHO, MINIM, NINTH, ONION, TILTH |
| 6-letter words (5) | LOTION, MINION, MOTION, NOTION, TOMTIT |
| 7-letter words (2) | MILLION, MOONLIT |
| 8-letter words (1) | MONOLITH |
| 9-letter words (2) | MILLIONTH, NONILLION |
Pangram & points for Jul 20, 2026
The numbers that matter for Monday, July 20, 2026: the pangram, the Genius threshold (70% of all points), and the Queen Bee maximum.
| Mode | Answers |
|---|---|
| Pangram | MILLIONTH and MONOLITH |
| Genius | 95 points |
| Queen Bee | 136 points (all 38 words) |
This puzzle has 2 pangrams: MILLIONTH and MONOLITH.
For the current puzzle, head to Spelling Bee Answers Today.
How NYT Spelling Bee works
Spelling Bee gives you seven letters in a hive and asks one thing: make as many valid words as you can. Three rules cover the whole game.
| Mode | What's different |
|---|---|
| 1. Make words from 7 letters | Build words of four letters or more using the day's seven letters. Letters can be reused as often as you like. |
| 2. Always use the center letter | Every valid word must contain the letter in the middle of the hive — that's the only hard rule. |
| 3. Find the pangram | At least one answer uses all seven letters. It's worth the most points and is the key to reaching Genius. |
Tips for solving Spelling Bee
- Hunt for the pangram first — it's worth 7 bonus points and finding it usually reveals several shorter words hiding inside it.
- Try common prefixes and suffixes (RE-, UN-, -ING, -ED, -ER) with the center letter to stretch words you've already found.
- Letters repeat, so double letters are always in play — think NOON, MAMA, or LULL patterns.
- If you're stuck, sort your found words by starting letter; a letter you haven't started a word with yet is usually hiding something.
- You don't need every word for Genius — it's 70% of the total points, so long words and the pangram get you most of the way.
What is NYT Spelling Bee?
Spelling Bee is the New York Times' daily word game, edited by Sam Ezersky. You're given seven letters arranged in a hive and must make as many words as you can — each at least four letters long and always using the center letter. Points scale with word length, a pangram using all seven letters earns a 7-point bonus, and ranks run from Beginner up to Genius (70% of the possible points) and the elusive Queen Bee (every word found). A new puzzle appears every day at 3 a.m. ET, and this page publishes the full answer list as soon as it does.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Spelling Bee pangram on Monday, July 20, 2026?
The pangram for Monday, July 20, 2026 is MILLIONTH and MONOLITH — it uses all seven letters and carries a 7-point bonus.
How many words are in the Spelling Bee on Monday, July 20, 2026?
The Monday, July 20, 2026 puzzle accepts 38 words worth a combined 136 points.
How many points do I need for Genius?
Genius is 70% of the total — 95 points for this puzzle. Queen Bee means finding every word for all 136 points.
What time do new Spelling Bee puzzles come out?
The NYT releases a new Spelling Bee every day at 3 a.m. Eastern Time. Our answer pages update as soon as the new puzzle is live.
Does every word have to use the center letter?
Yes — every valid word must include the center letter, be at least four letters long, and use only the day's seven letters (repeats allowed).
Is this today's Spelling Bee?
No — this is the archived puzzle for Monday, July 20, 2026 (/spelling-bee/answers/2026-07-20/). For the current puzzle, use Spelling Bee Answers Today.