Gameplay

Here is helpful information about how the Spelling Bee puzzle works, with tips and tricks for solving success, guides to navigating the Spelling Bee forum, and more. 

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The Spelling Bee Puzzle Page | The Spelling Bee puzzle page includes not only the puzzle itself, but several helpful guides and links to additional information. Tis page has a rundown of the many elements on this page, with links to more information.

How to Enter Words in the Puzzle | The goal of the Spelling Bee puzzle is to find words that have been selected by the puzzle editor from among all possible words that can be derived from the given letter set. This page offers a guide to entering words into the puzzle, a summary of the puzzle rules, and a few important reminders.

Ranks and Scoring | This page explains the Spelling Bee scores and ranking system, with insights about how some players use this information to add more layers of fun and challenge to their game.

Pangrams and Bingo | New players are often confused about pangrams, BINGO, and how they might intersect. Here’s a simple explanation of what they are, how they are related, and how knowing their secrets can make you a better solver.

The Official Hints Page | This page explains the essential information on the New York Times Spelling Bee’s Official Hints page: the puzzle data, grid, and two-letter list, using examples from several actual Spelling Bee puzzles.

Solv-ING Tips | While the -ING suffix can help a Bee solver to generate words quickly, it can also present some unique solving challenges, because puzzles with -ING require a solver to think “outside” the Bee, for two particular reasons. 

Looking Up Bee Words | Spelling Bee solvers often express a wish that there were an easy means by which they can look up definitions of Bee words while solving, or after completing the puzzle. The resources for looking up the words are closer than you might think, and perhaps easier to access than you might know. 

Navigating the Spelling Bee Forum | The Spelling Bee Forum is a lively community of Bee solvers who enjoy discussing the day’s Bee puzzle, exchanging information about words in and out of the Bee, and sharing creative writing inspired by the words in the Spelling Bee puzzle. Because the Forum is integrated with the Spelling Bee puzzle, it can sometimes be a challenge to find the Forum and navigate its unique structure. This article explains what the Spelling Bee Forum is, how to find it, and how to navigate through the hundreds of comments that typically accumulate there each day.

Participating in the Spelling Bee Forum | A guide to the landscape, conventions, and traditions of the Spelling Bee Forum, with posting tips and insights for getting the most out of this rich resource.

NOTE: The information in these guides pertains to the browser-based versions of the New York Times Spelling Bee and Spelling Bee forum.