The NYT Spelling Bee puzzle for 6 February 2026 was a satisfying one, filled with opportunities to build both short and long words. With E as the center letter, surrounded by G, M, N, I, A, C, this puzzle made me immediately think of common prefixes and word patterns. Let’s dive into how I solved the puzzle, how the pangram MENACING emerged, and all the valid words I found.

Today’s Letter Set

• Center letter: E

• Outer letters: G, M, N, I, A, C

As usual, the rules are:

• Every word must be at least four letters long

• Every word must include the center letter E

• Only the given letters may be used

• Letters can be repeated

Best strategy for NYT Spelling Bee puzzles

I started by looking for short words and simple combinations of the center letter E. Words like MICE, CAME, MINT, and MINCE came to mind immediately. These words helped me establish a base for solving, and I quickly realized that several of them could be part of larger words.

Next, I focused on common prefixes and suffixes, as E is often part of these. I looked at potential endings like -ING, -ED, and -ANCE, and that’s when the word MENACING emerged. I tested this combination, and it clicked instantly.

 Pangram Found: MENACING

MENACING uses all seven letters from the grid:

M · E · N · A · C · I · N · G

The word means threatening or ominous, which fits perfectly with today’s puzzle. Once I identified MENACING as the pangram, I found it much easier to complete the rest of the words by removing letters from the pangram and testing smaller combinations.

Today’s Pangram

MENACING – Pangram

MENACING is the pangram for today’s puzzle. It uses all seven letters in the grid and is a valid word commonly used in the English language.

All Valid Words for Today’s Puzzle

Here’s a complete list of valid words formed from today’s letter set:

Pangram

• MENACING

6+-Letter Words

• AGEING
• ANEMIA
• ANEMIC
• CANINE
• CINEMA
• EGGING
• EMCEEING
• EMINENCE
• ENCAGE
• ENCAGING
• ENGAGE
• ENGAGING
• ENGINE
• ENIGMA
• GAMINE
• ICEMEN
• ICEMAN
• IMAGINE
• IMMINENCE
• MANAGE
• MEANIE
• MEANING
• MEMING
• MENANCE

5-Letter Words

• ANIME
• EMCEE
• ENEMA
• GENIE
• GENII
• GIMME
• IMAGE
• INANE
• INNIE
• INANE
• INNIE
• MANGE
• MECCA
• MINCE
• NIECE

4-Letter Words

• ACME
• ACNE
• AMEN
• CAGE
• CAME
• CANE
• GAGE
• GAME
• GENE
• MACE
• MAGE
• MANE
• MEAN
• MEGA
• MEME
• MICE
• MIEN
• MIME
• MINE
• NAME
• NENE
• NICE
• NINE

Solving Tips from Today’s Puzzle

Here are a few tips that helped me solve the puzzle:

1. Look for common prefixes and suffixes: Words like -ING, -ED, and -ANCE are often hidden in longer words, so look for those patterns early.

2. Start with shorter words to build a foundation. Words like MICE, CAME, and MINCE helped me spot the structure of the longer words.

3. Once you identify the pangram, use it to extract smaller words. MENACING gave me the opportunity to find words like CAME and MICE inside of it.

Language Layers Uncovered

The 6 February 2026 Spelling Bee puzzle was a great one to solve, especially with MENACING emerging as the pangram. It’s a solid word that tied the puzzle together perfectly and unlocked several shorter words.

If you’re playing daily, remember that patience and pattern recognition are key. Look for common endings and prefixes, and always work backward from the pangram to find smaller words.

Happy spelling, and check back tomorrow for the next puzzle!