Spelling Bee Answers Yesterday
Edited by Sam Ezersky
Pangram - Sep 4, 2026
Friday, September 4th, 2026
Answers Yesterday
Tap a word for its definition
4-Letter Words22
1 pt each5-Letter Words14
5 pts each6-Letter Words17
6 pts each7-Letter Words8
7 pts each8-Letter Words5
8 pts eachTwo-Letter List
How many words start with each two-letter pair
- ad–6
- al–1
- an–2
- da–11
- de–13
- dy–3
- ed–1
- el–1
- en–2
- ey–1
- la–10
- le–7
- na–1
- ne–5
- ye–2
Rankings
Points needed for each rank
- Beginner0 pts(0%)
- Good Start15 pts(5%)
- Moving Up45 pts(15%)
- Good74 pts(25%)
- Solid119 pts(40%)
- Nice149 pts(50%)
- Great178 pts(60%)
- Amazing193 pts(65%)
- Genius208 pts(70%)
- Queen Bee297 pts(100%)
Path to Genius
- Genius takes between 31 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 74% of the remaining 282 points.
- Find the pangram (15 pts) and you only need 68% of the rest.
Letter Distribution
Words by starting letter · yellow = pangram starter
- a9
- d27
- e5
- l17
- n6
- y2
Missed a puzzle? Here are the NYT Spelling Bee answers yesterday's game accepted. The Friday, September 4, 2026 puzzle uses center letter D with A, E, L, N, Y, Z around it, and has 66 words worth 297 points — you need 208 points for Genius. Every word is listed below by length, along with the pangram and the day's rank thresholds.
Spelling Bee answers yesterday (Sep 4, 2026)
Every accepted word, grouped by length. Words must use the center letter and be at least four letters long.
All 66 answers by length
Letter clues: Center letter D · Outer letters A E L N Y Z
| Clue | Answer |
|---|---|
| 4-letter words (22) | ADZE, DALE, DAZE, DEAD, DEAL, DEAN, DEED, DELL, DENY, DYAD, DYED, DYNE, EDDY, EYED, LADE, LADY, LAND, LEAD, LEDE, LEND, NADA, NEED |
| 5-letter words (14) | ADDED, ADDLE, DADDY, DALLY, DANDY, DAZED, DELAY, ELAND, ENDED, LADED, LADEN, LADLE, LAZED, NEEDY |
| 6-letter words (17) | ADDEND, ADDLED, DANDLE, DAZZLE, DEADEN, DEADLY, DEEDED, ENNEAD, LADLED, LANDED, LEADED, LEADEN, LEANED, NEEDED, NEEDLE, YELLED, YENNED |
| 7-letter words (8) | ADDENDA, ALLAYED, DANDLED, DAZEDLY, DAZZLED, DEADEYE, DELAYED, NEEDLED |
| 8-letter words (5) | ANALYZED, ANNEALED, DEADENED, LANDLADY, LEADENLY |
Yesterday's pangram & points
The numbers that matter for Friday, September 4, 2026: the pangram, the Genius threshold (70% of all points), and the Queen Bee maximum.
| Mode | Answers |
|---|---|
| Pangram | ANALYZED |
| Genius | 208 points |
| Queen Bee | 297 points (all 66 words) |
The pangram — the word using all seven letters — is ANALYZED, 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). The NYT releases a new puzzle every day at 3 a.m. ET; this page rolls to the next day's answers for everyone at midnight Eastern and publishes the full word list as soon as the puzzle is live.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Spelling Bee pangram yesterday?
The pangram for Friday, September 4, 2026 is ANALYZED — it uses all seven letters and carries a 7-point bonus.
How many words are in the Spelling Bee yesterday?
The Friday, September 4, 2026 puzzle accepts 66 words worth a combined 297 points.
How many points do I need for Genius?
Genius is 70% of the total — 208 points for this puzzle. Queen Bee means finding every word for all 297 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. This page rolls to the next day's answers for everyone at midnight Eastern, and the word list fills in as soon as the 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).