Spelling Bee Answers Jul 26, 2026
Edited by Sam Ezersky
Pangram - Jul 26, 2026
Sunday, July 26th, 2026
Answers - Jul 26, 2026
Tap a word for its definition
4-Letter Words28
1 pt each5-Letter Words21
5 pts each6-Letter Words4
6 pts each7-Letter Words3
7 pts each8-Letter Words5
8 pts each9-Letter Words1
9 pts each10-Letter Words1
10 pts eachTwo-Letter List
How many words start with each two-letter pair
- ac–1
- ai–1
- al–5
- at–1
- ca–4
- ch–2
- ci–1
- cl–3
- co–16
- ha–1
- ho–3
- io–1
- li–1
- lo–9
- oa–1
- oc–1
- oi–1
- ol–1
- ta–3
- to–7
Rankings
Points needed for each rank
- Beginner0 pts(0%)
- Good Start12 pts(5%)
- Moving Up37 pts(15%)
- Good61 pts(25%)
- Solid98 pts(40%)
- Nice122 pts(50%)
- Great146 pts(60%)
- Amazing159 pts(65%)
- Genius171 pts(70%)
- Queen Bee244 pts(100%)
Path to Genius
- Genius takes between 26 and 55 words, depending on which ones you find.
- You need at least a 7-letter word to reach Genius.
- Skip the pangram and you need 75% of the remaining 229 points.
- Find the pangram (15 pts) and you only need 68% of the rest.
Letter Distribution
Words by starting letter · yellow = pangram starter
- a8
- c26
- h4
- i1
- l10
- o4
- t10
Here are the NYT Spelling Bee answers for Sunday, July 26, 2026. The Sunday, July 26, 2026 puzzle uses center letter O with A, C, H, I, L, T around it, and has 63 words worth 244 points — you need 171 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 26, 2026
Every accepted word, grouped by length. Words must use the center letter and be at least four letters long.
All 63 answers by length
Letter clues: Center letter O · Outer letters A C H I L T
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| 4-letter words (28) | ALTO, CIAO, CLOT, COAL, COAT, COCA, COHO, COIL, COLA, COLT, COOL, COOT, HALO, HOLT, HOOT, IOTA, LOCH, LOCI, LOCO, LOLL, LOOT, OATH, OLIO, TACO, TOIL, TOLL, TOOL, TOOT |
| 5-letter words (21) | ACHOO, AIOLI, ALLOT, ALOHA, ATOLL, CACAO, CLOTH, COACH, COATI, COCCI, COCOA, COLIC, HOOCH, LITHO, LOACH, LOATH, LOCAL, LOTTO, OCTAL, TOOTH, TOTAL |
| 6-letter words (4) | CALICO, CLOACA, COITAL, TATTOO |
| 7-letter words (3) | ALCOHOL, CHAOTIC, TOCCATA |
| 8-letter words (5) | CALLALOO, CATHOLIC, COATTAIL, OILCLOTH, TAILCOAT |
| 9-letter words (1) | ALCOHOLIC |
| 10-letter words (1) | CHOCOHOLIC |
Pangram & points for Jul 26, 2026
The numbers that matter for Sunday, July 26, 2026: the pangram, the Genius threshold (70% of all points), and the Queen Bee maximum.
| Mode | Answers |
|---|---|
| Pangram | CATHOLIC |
| Genius | 171 points |
| Queen Bee | 244 points (all 63 words) |
The pangram — the word using all seven letters — is CATHOLIC, worth 15 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 Sunday, July 26, 2026?
The pangram for Sunday, July 26, 2026 is CATHOLIC — it uses all seven letters and carries a 7-point bonus.
How many words are in the Spelling Bee on Sunday, July 26, 2026?
The Sunday, July 26, 2026 puzzle accepts 63 words worth a combined 244 points.
How many points do I need for Genius?
Genius is 70% of the total — 171 points for this puzzle. Queen Bee means finding every word for all 244 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 Sunday, July 26, 2026 (/spelling-bee/answers/2026-07-26/). For the current puzzle, use Spelling Bee Answers Today.