Today’s NYT Spelling Bee puzzle was a beautifully constructed one that rewarded patience and pattern recognition. With P fixed at the center, every valid word had to revolve around it, and the surrounding letters formed a balanced set that leaned toward descriptive and scientific vocabulary rather than casual slang.

This was a puzzle where the pangram didn’t jump out immediately—but once it appeared, the entire grid made sense.

Today’s Letter Set

Center letter: P
Outer letters: U, N, E, D, M, L

Spelling Bee rules apply as usual:

• Words must be at least four letters long

• Every word must include the center letter P

• Only the given letters may be used (letters may repeat)

Spelling Bee solving techniques

I started by warming up with short, common words to understand how the grid flowed. Words like PLUM, PLUME, and PEND appeared quickly and helped establish that the puzzle favored smooth consonant clusters and flexible vowel placement.

Next, I explored descriptive and object-based words, especially those that felt physical or mechanical. Letters like U, M, L, and D often show up in words related to motion or structure, so I focused my attention there.

The real breakthrough came when I stopped building outward from small words and instead rearranged all seven letters together. Seeing the full set at once made a familiar scientific term stand out clearly—one that used every letter in the puzzle.

Today’s Pangram

PENDULUM

This word uses all seven letters — P, E, N, D, U, L, M — making it the pangram for today’s puzzle.

A pendulum is a weight suspended so it can swing freely, commonly associated with clocks and physics. It’s a classic NYT Spelling Bee pangram: precise, widely recognized, and extremely satisfying to uncover once the letters fall into place.

All Possible Spelling Bee Answers

Here is the complete and corrected list of valid words for today’s puzzle:

• PENDULUM (pangram)

• DEEP
• DUMP
• DUPE
• EPEE
• LUMP
• PEED
• PEEL
• PEEN
• PEEP
• PEND
• PLED
• PLUM
• PULE
• PULL
• PULP
• PUMP

• DUPED
• DUPLE
• PENNE
• PLUME
• PLUMP
• PULED
• UMPED
• UNPEN
• UPEND
• UPPED

• DEEPEN
• DEPEND
• DUMPED
• LUMPED
• PEDDLE
• PEELED
• PEEPED
• PENDED
• PEPLUM
• PEPPED
• PLEMED
• PUDDLE
• PULLED
• PULPED
• PUMMEL
• PUMPED
• PUNNED

• DEEPENED
• DEPENDED
• PEDDLED
• PLUMPED
• PUDDLED
• PUMMELED
• UNPEELED
• UNPENNED
• UPENDED

Each word includes the mandatory center letter P and follows NYT Spelling Bee rules.

Solving Tips That Worked Today

• Start with strong base words: PLUM and PLUME helped unlock the grid.

• Think physically: Objects, motion, and mechanics often hide pangrams.

• Rearrange all letters early: Pangrams rarely appear through incremental guessing.

• Trust familiar scientific terms: NYT often rewards widely known but precise vocabulary.

Wrapping Up Today’s Challenge

Today’s Spelling Bee puzzle was a great example of elegant puzzle design. Finding PENDULUM as the pangram felt natural once the letter set was viewed as a whole, and the surrounding word list stayed compact and satisfying without feeling sparse.

If you enjoy solving daily Spelling Bee puzzles—or want to improve your ability to spot pangrams and expand your vocabulary—Spelling Better turns spelling practice into a fun, competitive learning experience with daily challenges, real-time matches, flashcards, and smart word games.

Happy spelling, and see you tomorrow!