Today’s NYT Spelling Bee puzzle was a satisfying one for solvers who enjoy spotting clean, elegant pangrams hidden inside an otherwise calm-looking grid. With C fixed at the center, every valid word needed to include that letter, and the surrounding letters pointed toward descriptive and slightly academic vocabulary rather than everyday action words.

This puzzle rewarded solvers who slowed down, rearranged letters carefully, and trusted the dictionary.

Today’s Letter Set

• Center letter: C

• Outer letters: L, E, M, A, F, I

Standard Spelling Bee rules apply:

• Words must be at least four letters long

• Every word must include the center letter C

• Only the given letters may be used

• Letters may repeat, but repetition is not required

How I Solved Today’s Puzzle

I began with short, familiar words to get comfortable with the grid. Words like LACE, FACE, MICE, and ACME appeared quickly and confirmed that the puzzle leaned toward descriptive and adjective-based vocabulary rather than verbs.

Next, I looked closely at the combination of M, A, L, E, F, I, which immediately suggested something more refined. Instead of forcing longer guesses, I rearranged all seven letters together, aiming to see whether a word could be formed without repetition.

That approach paid off quickly. One smooth, dictionary-valid word stood out clearly—using every letter exactly once. That’s when today’s solution locked into place.

Today’s Pangram

MALEFIC — Perfect Pangram

This word uses all seven letters exactly once:

M · A · L · E · F · I · C

Because no letters repeat, MALEFIC qualifies as a perfect pangram, which is always especially satisfying to find.

Malefic is an adjective meaning harmful, destructive, or evil in influence. While it’s not a casual everyday word, it’s fully valid English and fits perfectly with NYT Spelling Bee’s preference for expressive, dictionary-sound vocabulary.

All words allowed in NYT Spelling Bee

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

4 LETTER WORDS

• ACAI
• ACME
• CAFE
• CALF
• CALL
• CALM
• CAME
• CAMI
• CELL
• CLAM
• CLEF
• FACE
• LACE
• LAIC
• LICE
• MACE
• MICA
• MICE

5 LETTER WORDS

• CALLA
• CAMEL
• CELLI
• CILIA
• CLAIM
• CLIFF
• CLIME
• EMCEE
• FECAL
• ILIAC
• LILAC
• MALIC
• MECCA
• MIMIC

6 LETTER WORDS

• ACACIA
• CELIAC
• EFFACE
• FACIAL
• FACILE
• FLEECE
• ICICLE
• LAICAL
• MALICE

7+ LETTER WORDS

• MALEFIC  (perfect pangram)

• ACCLAIM
• CAMELLIA
• ICEFALL

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

Solving Tips That Worked Today

• Look for perfect pangrams: Balanced letter sets often hide them.

• Rearrange all letters early: Don’t rely only on short-word expansion.

• Trust less common adjectives: NYT frequently uses them.

• Check for repetition-free words: They’re often pangrams.

Unlocking the Final Layers

The January 16, 2026 Spelling Bee puzzle was a great example of how simplicity can hide elegance. Discovering MALEFIC as a perfect pangram felt especially rewarding because it required nothing more than careful rearrangement and confidence in the language.

If you enjoy solving daily Spelling Bee puzzles—or want to sharpen 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!