Edited by Sam Ezersky
Pangram - Jul 21, 2026
Tuesday, July 21st, 2026
Answers - Jul 21, 2026
Tap a word for its definition
4-Letter Words9
1 pt each5-Letter Words5
5 pts each6-Letter Words4
6 pts each7-Letter Words4
7 pts each8-Letter Words2
8 pts each10-Letter Words1
10 pts eachTwo-Letter List
How many words start with each two-letter pair
- af–1
- al–1
- ba–1
- bi–1
- fa–4
- fi–7
- fl–6
- if–1
- in–2
- na–1
Rankings
Points needed for each rank
- Beginner0 pts(0%)
- Good Start6 pts(5%)
- Moving Up18 pts(15%)
- Good30 pts(25%)
- Solid48 pts(40%)
- Nice60 pts(50%)
- Great71 pts(60%)
- Amazing77 pts(65%)
- Genius83 pts(70%)
- Queen Bee119 pts(100%)
Path to Genius
- Genius takes between 11 and 22 words, depending on which ones you find.
- You need at least a 7-letter word to reach Genius.
- Skip the pangram and you need 81% of the remaining 102 points.
- Find the pangram (17 pts) and you only need 65% of the rest.
Letter Distribution
Words by starting letter · yellow = pangram starter
- a2
- b2
- f17
- i3
- n1
Here are the NYT Spelling Bee answers for Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The Tuesday, July 21, 2026 puzzle uses center letter F with A, B, I, L, N, Y around it, and has 25 words worth 119 points — you need 83 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 21, 2026
Every accepted word, grouped by length. Words must use the center letter and be at least four letters long.
All 25 answers by length
Letter clues: Center letter F · Outer letters A B I L N Y
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| 4-letter words (9) | BIFF, FAIL, FALL, FILL, FLAB, FLAN, FLAY, IFFY, NAIF |
| 5-letter words (5) | FANNY, FILLY, FINAL, FLAIL, FLYBY |
| 6-letter words (4) | FILIAL, FINIAL, FLABBY, INFILL |
| 7-letter words (4) | AFFABLY, ALFALFA, BAILIFF, FINALLY |
| 8-letter words (2) | FALLIBLY, FILIALLY |
| 10-letter words (1) | INFALLIBLY |
Pangram & points for Jul 21, 2026
The numbers that matter for Tuesday, July 21, 2026: the pangram, the Genius threshold (70% of all points), and the Queen Bee maximum.
| Mode | Answers |
|---|---|
| Pangram | INFALLIBLY |
| Genius | 83 points |
| Queen Bee | 119 points (all 25 words) |
The pangram — the word using all seven letters — is INFALLIBLY, worth 17 points on its own.
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 Tuesday, July 21, 2026?
The pangram for Tuesday, July 21, 2026 is INFALLIBLY — it uses all seven letters and carries a 7-point bonus.
How many words are in the Spelling Bee on Tuesday, July 21, 2026?
The Tuesday, July 21, 2026 puzzle accepts 25 words worth a combined 119 points.
How many points do I need for Genius?
Genius is 70% of the total — 83 points for this puzzle. Queen Bee means finding every word for all 119 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 Tuesday, July 21, 2026 (/spelling-bee/answers/2026-07-21/). For the current puzzle, use Spelling Bee Answers Today.