Spelling Bee October 20, 2026: Pangram & Answers
Recap
The puzzle featured a challenging seven-letter pangram, MUNCHKIN, and a variety of shorter words like CHICK, CHIN, and HICK. Solvers were rewarded for spotting 'CH' and 'HUN' combinations, as well as food-related vocabulary like KIMCHI and MUCH.
The seven letters
H CIKMNU
Every answer had to use H. The board accepted 18 words in all.
Spelling Bee hints, rung by rung
Six rungs, counts before words. The recap above already named the pangram, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the board fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.
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Hint 1: What kind of words the board rewarded
No answer is named.
The list has many short words and a few longer ones, with several words built around 'CH' and 'HUN' pairs, and some food-related terms.
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Hint 2: How many answers started with each letter
Counts only.
- C
- 8 answers
- H
- 3 answers
- M
- 3 answers
- N
- 2 answers
- I
- 1 answer
- K
- 1 answer
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Hint 3: Board facts
Counted off the accepted list.
- Centre letter
- H
- Outer letters
- C · I · K · M · N · U
- Accepted words
- 18
- Word lengths
- 4–8 letters
- Pangrams
- 1
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Hint 4: The pangram, without naming it
The seven-letter answer uses a common suffix and a familiar food item, combined with the centre letter.
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Hint 5: The two-letter list
How many answers started with each pair.
- CH
- 7
- CI
- 1
- HI
- 1
- HU
- 2
- IN
- 1
- KI
- 1
- MU
- 3
- NU
- 2
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Hint 6: The shape of each pangram
Every accepted word from that board
All of them, folded by opening letter. Open one letter at a time — nothing here reveals another group.
The pangram from that board
Pangram 1 · 8 letters
MUNCHKIN
Uses all seven letters — H, C, I, K, M, N, U — in 8 characters.
C · 8answers
CHICCHICHICHICKCHINCHUCKCHUMCHUNKCINCH
H · 3answers
HICKHUNCHHUNK
I · 1answer
INCH
K · 1answer
KIMCHI
M · 3answers
MUCHMUNCHMUNCHKIN
N · 2answers
NUNCHUCKNUNCHUK
This board by the numbers
- Date
- Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Letters
- H in the middle, C I K M N U around it
- Accepted words
- 18
- Pangrams
- 1
- Word lengths
- 4–8 letters
More Spelling Bee
See the live Spelling Bee hints and answers page for the current board, or browse every archived Spelling Bee date by month.
Try another puzzle
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The live NYT Letter Boxed hints and solution page
Par, an opening-word nudge, the official chain and verified alternates.
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The live NYT Mini Crossword clues and answers page
One extra nudge per clue, so one square can be unstuck alone.