Spelling Bee tips and strategy
Getting to Genius is less about knowing rare words than about looking at the letters systematically. These habits help most.
1. Look for the pangram first
A pangram is worth at least 14 points, often 15 or more, as much as a dozen short words. Look for common endings among the seven letters (-ING, -TION, -ED, -ER, -LY) and see whether the remaining letters form a start. If I, N and G are all in the hive, a pangram ending in -ING is very likely.
2. Work through endings and beginnings
Once you have a word, try every way to extend it: add -S, -ED, -ER, -ING or -LY; put RE-, UN- or DE- in front. One root often gives four or five words: PLAN, PLANE, PLANET, PLANNER, PLANNING.
3. Repeat letters
Letters can be used more than once, and many players forget it. Look for doubled letters (-LL-, -EE-, -OO-, -TT-) and for words that repeat a whole syllable, such as TEETER or MAMMAL.
4. Shuffle, and take breaks
Shuffle puts the letters in a new order, and your eye catches combinations it skipped before. Stepping away for ten minutes works even better: many players find their best words after a break.
5. Go letter by letter
Take the first letter of the hive and try every word that starts with it, then the next. The Hints in the game show how many words begin with each letter and each two-letter pair, so you know where words are still hiding. The answers page shows the same grid for today without giving the words away.
6. Build your word list
The same short words come up again and again. Learning the regulars from our word lists (common four-letter words and frequent pangrams) is the quickest way to raise your average score.
7. Practise in Unlimited and Blitz
Unlimited lets you play as many puzzles as you want, and Bee Blitz trains speed: with three minutes on the clock you learn to see the obvious words quickly. When you really can't go on, the solver lists every word, hidden until you tap it.
Frequently asked questions
How many words do I need for Genius?
Genius is 85% of the possible score, so it depends on the puzzle. Pangrams and long words count for much more than four-letter words, so you rarely need every word.
Are the answers the same for everyone?
Yes. Everyone plays the same daily puzzle and the same word list, so you can compare scores with friends.