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NYT Spelling Bee Answers and Pangram – June 17, 2025

Anya Tsukru
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Today’s NYT Spelling Bee puzzle was one of those that looked chaotic at first glance — but once you took a breath and began piecing the puzzle together, it slowly unraveled into something satisfying. With M as the center letter and I, R, F, A, N, Y around it, I had to put my lateral thinking to work before the word INFIRMARY finally revealed itself as the pangram.

Here’s how I solved it and all the words I uncovered.

Today’s Hive Letters:

  • Center Letter (Required): M

  • Outer Letters: I, R, F, A, N, Y

My Solving Process

At first, I struggled to get traction. It didn’t help that M isn’t the easiest central letter to work with. I tried common four-letter words like:

  • Firm

  • Main

  • Amir

  • Farm

Then I started rotating the hive — which I highly recommend doing — because a fresh visual layout often triggers new associations. That’s when I thought of Infirm, a solid 7-letter word. I typed it in, and that got the ball rolling. Then it struck me: add -ary, and you get INFIRMARY, the pangram!

today's nyt p.solutions 17-06-25

The Pangram: INFIRMARY

Not only is it a great word, but it also makes perfect use of all 7 letters with M at the heart of it. Defined as a place for the care of the sick or injured, it’s one of those satisfying finds that connects everything in the hive.

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All Words I Found (4+ Letters):

Here’s the full list of words I found using the hive, all including the center letter M:

  1. firm

  2. farm

  3. fairym

  4. main

  5. marina

  6. marina

  7. amir

  8. airman

  9. airmen

  10. minify

  11. infamy

  12. infirm

  13. rimy

  14. miry

  15. manly

  16. many

  17. mar

  18. marina

  19. amain

  20. myna

  21. firming

  22. INFIRMARY (pangram)

Note: Some entries like “fairym” may be rejected by the NYT’s word list but are valid in other dictionaries.

Strategy Tips That Helped

  • Use the -ary ending: I noticed that many longer medical or institutional words use this suffix. That made “infirmary” click.

  • Start small: When stuck, don’t try to jump straight to 7-letter words. Smaller ones like “firm” and “farm” help you get into the rhythm.

  • Think medically or professionally: With letters like I, R, M, Y, N, there’s a professional vocabulary space (e.g., infirm, infamy, airman) to explore.

  • Focus on stems: Infirm led to infirmary. Firm led to firming. Recognizing these stems helps you branch into longer words.

PANGRAM SOLUTIONS 17-06-2025

Word of the Day: Infirmary

  • Definition: A place in a school, institution, or military base where people receive medical treatment.

  • Example usage: He was sent to the infirmary after spraining his ankle during practice.

It’s always satisfying when the pangram not only fits but is meaningful and thematic.

Mindset Over Vocabulary

Today’s puzzle was a great reminder that solving Spelling Bee isn’t just about having a vast vocabulary — it’s about staying calm, curious, and methodical. The challenge didn’t yield words easily, and that’s what made it rewarding.

Once I shifted my focus from “What words do I know?” to “What patterns can I build?”, I started spotting stems like firm, infirm, and infir that led to a burst of new words, including the pangram infirmary.

Puzzles like this one reinforce that persistence and pattern recognition are just as powerful as memory — and when both align, it’s a satisfying win.

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