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Spelling Bee solver -June 23, 2025

Anya Tsukru
Latest posts by Anya Tsukru (see all)
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Another fascinating challenge greeted us today with the New York Times Spelling Bee! With K as the center letter and surrounding options being Y, O, C, H, I, R, this puzzle made us rethink common patterns and dive deep into our vocabulary bank. The real fun? Finding that one word that pulls it all together — the pangram.

Let’s explore how I cracked today’s bee and walk through the word list I discovered using these seven letters.

Starting with the Core

Looking at the hexagon, the center letter K was a giveaway that today’s words would likely lean into hard consonant sounds. The presence of C, H, Y hinted at possibilities involving common digraphs like “ch” and “ky,” while O and I gave much-needed vowel support.

I started by jotting down basic K-centric combinations: “kick,” “rock,” “hick,” etc. From there, I tried experimenting with combinations that could fit real English words. It didn’t take long to realize that the letters gave rise to something more structured…

Pangram Discovery: Rockhickory

The pangram I uncovered today is ROCKHICKORY, a type of tree from the hickory family, known for its hard wood. While it might not be the first word that comes to mind, it’s a valid and satisfying find.

Finding such a compound-like word reminds us how Spelling Bee often rewards a wide-ranging vocabulary that includes botany, science, and compound nouns. It’s not just about common speech — it’s about the richness of the English language.

23 JUNE 2025, SPELLING BEE

Strategy I Used

Here’s how I approached today’s puzzle:

  1. Start with 4-letter combos: Words like kick, rick, and hick serve as quick wins and build momentum.

  2. Check for endings: Common suffixes like -y, -er, -or help expand options (hicky, rocky, ricky).

  3. Use rare letters smartly: When you spot a Y or K, make them the backbone of exploration — they’re often used in pangrams.

  4. Think compound or scientific: Words like rockhickory are sneaky and uncommon, but perfectly valid.

CLICK  HERE to download SPELLING BETTER SPELLING BEE APP.

Word List (All Valid Words From the Puzzle)

Here are the words I found (remember: every word must use the letter K):

  • kick

  • kicky

  • hick

  • hickey

  • rocky

  • rick

  • ricky

  • cork

  • cocky

  • chock

  • chirk

  • yock

  • yick

  • yirk

  • hickory

  • rock

  • rockhickory (Pangram)

  • khaki

  • koi

  • york

  • corky

  • choir

  • corker

  • cory

  • kochi

  • roky

  • yorker

Note: Some words may not be accepted in the official Bee due to obscurity, proper nouns, or slang. Always check in-game!

PANGRAM SOLUTIONS 23 JUNE 25

What Made It Fun

Today’s puzzle was a mix of simplicity and surprise. The base words were straightforward, but discovering rockhickory made the entire session worthwhile. The tricky mix of C, K, H, Y demanded some out-of-the-box thinking and botanical knowledge. It was a nice balance between common and rare.

THE BEE-LINE

The thrill of the Spelling Bee lies in going beyond the obvious. Today reminded me that even obscure words or specific plant names like rockhickory can emerge as triumphant pangrams. It’s a mental workout with linguistic joy at its core.

How did you do today? Did rockhickory stump you? Drop your word count in the comments and let’s compare!

Until next time — keep buzzing, keep building, and never underestimate the power of a well-placed K!

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