Today’s NYT Spelling Bee puzzle was a satisfying mix of nature-inspired vocabulary and familiar word patterns. At first glance, the letters looked simple, but the real challenge was spotting how all seven could come together into one meaningful word.

Today’s letter set

Center letter: T
Outer letters: A, H, N, O, R, W

As always, every valid word must include T, letters may be reused, and no extra letters are allowed.

Bee puzzle word patterns

How I Found Today’s Pangram

Whenever I see letters like H, O, R, N, and W, my mind immediately goes to nature and geography-related words. I started by testing common combinations such as north, thorn, and worth, which helped me understand how flexible the letter set was.

The breakthrough came when I focused on plant and tree names, which often make excellent pangrams. That’s when the word stood out clearly.

Pangram: HAWTHORN

This word uses all seven letters: H A W T H O R N

Hawthorn is a flowering shrub or small tree, commonly found in hedgerows, and it fits perfectly within the NYT Spelling Bee’s vocabulary style—recognizable, natural, and satisfying to uncover.

Once I found HAWTHORN, the rest of the puzzle became much easier to solve.

How I Expanded After the Pangram

After locking in the pangram, I broke it down into smaller chunks and searched for:

• Directional and action words

• Common verbs and nouns built around T

• Short words hidden inside hawthorn

This systematic approach helped me avoid random guessing and quickly build a solid word list.

All Valid Words for Today’s Spelling Bee

Below is a complete list of accepted words formed using today’s letters and rules.

 Pangram

• hawthorn

7+ Letter Words

• hawthorn

• warrant

• worthan

• annatto
• annotator
• arrowroot
• narrator
• notator
• ratatat
• rotator
• tantara
• warrant
• warrantor
• whatnot

 6– Letter Words

• arrant
• natant
• nonart
• orator
• rattan
• tantra
• tartan
• tartar
• tattoo
• throat
• thrown
• thwart
• wanton
• wonton

 5-Letter Words

• worth

• thorn

• north

• roath

• aorta
• arhat
• attar
• hatha
• rotor
• tarot
• throw
• tooth
• torah
• torta
• troth
• wrath
• wroth

 4-Letter Words

• what

• than

• wart

• thaw

• hart

• onto

• rant

• hath
• hoot
• oath
• rant
• root
• taro
• tart
• that
• toon
• toot
• torn
• toro
• trot
• want
• watt
• wont
• woot
• wort

(Short words are easy to miss but crucial for boosting your score.)

Strategy That Worked Today

Here’s what helped me solve today’s puzzle efficiently:

1. Think in themes – Nature and plant names are common pangram candidates.

2. Prioritize the center letter – Every word must include T, which narrows options quickly.

3. Break the pangram apart – Long words are gold mines for smaller answers.

4. Check short words carefully – Four-letter words add up fast.

Today’s puzzle rewarded players who combined vocabulary knowledge with a structured solving method.

Puzzle Reflections

Today’s NYT Spelling Bee was a reminder that pangrams don’t have to be obscure to be clever. HAWTHORN is a familiar word that fits beautifully into the puzzle and unlocks many smaller answers once discovered.

If you enjoy solving daily pangrams, sharpening your spelling skills, or competing with friends in real spelling-bee–style challenges, apps like Spelling Better make the experience even more fun with daily word lists, live battles, and vocabulary games.

Happy spelling—and see you tomorrow