Spelling Bee September 18, 2026: Pangram & Answers
Recap
The puzzle featured a challenging but rewarding set of words, with ACQUAINT standing out as the seven-letter pangram. Solvers likely found success with nautical terms like AQUATIC and AQUANAUT, as well as musical terms like CANTATA and CINQUAIN. The presence of multiple 'AN' and 'AT' words added to the puzzle's complexity.
The seven letters
A CINQTU
Every answer had to use A. The board accepted 41 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.
Word pairs with 'AN' and 'AT' appear frequently. Many answers have 'A' as a starting letter. Consider words related to water, music, and family.
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Hint 2: How many answers started with each letter
Counts only.
- A
- 13 answers
- T
- 12 answers
- C
- 7 answers
- N
- 4 answers
- Q
- 3 answers
- I
- 2 answers
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Hint 3: Board facts
Counted off the accepted list.
- Centre letter
- A
- Outer letters
- C · I · N · Q · T · U
- Accepted words
- 41
- Word lengths
- 4–9 letters
- Pangrams
- 1
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Hint 4: The pangram, without naming it
The seven-letter answer ties together several shorter ones, using all the given letters. Look for a central word that connects many others.
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Hint 5: The two-letter list
How many answers started with each pair.
- AC
- 4
- AN
- 2
- AQ
- 4
- AT
- 2
- AU
- 1
- CA
- 6
- CI
- 1
- IN
- 2
- NA
- 3
- NI
- 1
- QU
- 3
- TA
- 9
- TI
- 2
- TU
- 1
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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
ACQUAINT
Uses all seven letters — A, C, I, N, Q, T, U — in 8 characters.
A · 13answers
ACACIAACAIACQUAINTACQUITANTIANTICAQUAAQUANAUTAQUATICAQUATINTATTAINATTICAUNT
C · 7answers
CACTICANCANCANNACANTCANTATACANTINACINQUAIN
I · 2answers
INCANTINTACT
N · 4answers
NAANNANANATANTNIACIN
Q · 3answers
QUAINTQUANTQUANTA
T · 12answers
TACITTACTTACTICTACTICIANTAINTTANNICTANNINTAUNTTAUTTITANTITANICTUNA
This board by the numbers
- Date
- Friday, September 18, 2026
- Letters
- A in the middle, C I N Q T U around it
- Accepted words
- 41
- Pangrams
- 1
- Word lengths
- 4–9 letters
More Spelling Bee
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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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