Today’s NYT Spelling Bee puzzle was a particularly satisfying one, especially for solvers who enjoy discovering clean, elegant pangrams built from everyday vocabulary. With I fixed at the center, every valid word had to revolve around that vowel, and the surrounding letters hinted strongly at language- and writing-related terms rather than physical objects or actions.

This was a puzzle where patience, pattern recognition, and a willingness to repeat letters paid off.

Today’s Letter Set

Center letter: I
Outer letters: L, E, Z, T, A, C

As always, Spelling Bee rules apply:

• Words must be at least four letters long

• Every word must include the center letter I

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

How I Solved Today’s Puzzle

I started, as usual, with short and familiar words to get comfortable with the grid. Words like TAIL, LICE, CITE, and TILE appeared quickly and confirmed that the puzzle leaned toward clean, standard English rather than obscure terminology.

Next, I noticed how naturally the letters I, T, A, L, I fit together. That immediately suggested something related to formatting or typography. With Z and E also available, I suspected that the pangram would require letter repetition and would likely end in -IZE.

Instead of forcing guesses, I rearranged all seven letters together, allowing repetition. That’s when the solution became obvious. The word felt instantly familiar, used every letter in the puzzle, and matched the overall tone of the grid perfectly.

Today’s Pangram

ITALICIZE — Pangram

This word uses all seven letters — I, T, A, L, I, C, I, Z, E — making it today’s pangram.

Italicize means to set text in italics, which makes it a classic NYT Spelling Bee pangram:

• Common and recognizable

• Closely tied to language and writing

• Slightly longer, but very fair

Because letters are allowed to repeat, ITALICIZE fits the puzzle perfectly and feels especially satisfying once spotted.

NYT Spelling Bee word list

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

• ACAI
• ALIT
• CITE
• LAIC
• LICE
• LILT
• LITE
• TAIL
• TALI
• TILE
• TILL
• TILT
• ZITI

• ATILT
• ATTIC
• CACTI
• CELLI
• CILIA
• ELITE
• ILIAC
• LICIT
• LILAC
• TACIT
• TITLE

• ACACIA
• ACETIC
• CELIAC
• ELICIT
• ICICLE
• ITALIC
• LACTIC
• LAICAL
• LITTLE
• TACTIC
• TALLIT
• TITTLE

• ITALICIZE  (pangram)

• CALCITE
• CATTAIL
• ECLECTIC
• ILLICIT
• LAICIZE
• LATTICE
• TACTICAL
• TACTILE
• TITILLATE

All words include the mandatory center letter I and follow NYT Spelling Bee rules.

Solving Tips That Worked Today

• Look for writing-related terms: Typography words were key today.

• Allow repetition early: The pangram required repeated I characters.

• Watch for -IZE endings: These often unlock longer solutions.

• Rearrange the full set: Pangrams rarely appear through incremental guessing.

Lessons from Today’s Puzzle

Today’s Spelling Bee puzzle was a great reminder that simple letter sets can still hide refined solutions. Discovering ITALICIZE as the pangram felt natural and rewarding, especially because it grew directly out of smaller words like ITALIC and CITE. The puzzle was balanced, fair, and enjoyable from start to finish.

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

Happy spelling, and see you tomorrow!