Spelling Bee September 22, 2026: Pangram & Answers
Recap
The puzzle featured a mix of short and long words, including a seven-letter astronomical term EQUINOX. Other answers included animal names like OXEN and QUEEN, and words related to numbers like NINE and NONE.
The seven letters
N OQUXEI
Every answer had to use N. 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.
Word pairs with double letters and common suffixes pay off. Look for animal names, words related to numbers, and everyday objects. The centre letter is key to many answers.
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Hint 2: How many answers started with each letter
Counts only.
- N
- 7 answers
- E
- 3 answers
- O
- 2 answers
- Q
- 2 answers
- U
- 2 answers
- I
- 1 answer
- X
- 1 answer
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Hint 3: Board facts
Counted off the accepted list.
- Centre letter
- N
- Outer letters
- O · Q · U · X · E · I
- 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 astronomical term, related to day and night, and includes the centre letter and six outer letters.
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Hint 5: The two-letter list
How many answers started with each pair.
- EN
- 1
- EQ
- 2
- IN
- 1
- NE
- 2
- NI
- 1
- NO
- 4
- ON
- 1
- OX
- 1
- QU
- 2
- UN
- 2
- XE
- 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 · 7 letters
EQUINOX
Uses all seven letters — N, O, Q, U, X, E, I — in 7 characters.
E · 3answers
ENNUIEQUINEEQUINOX
I · 1answer
INNIE
N · 7answers
NENENEONNINENONENONUNIONNOONNOUN
O · 2answers
ONIONOXEN
Q · 2answers
QUEENQUININE
U · 2answers
UNIONUNIQUE
X · 1answer
XENON
This board by the numbers
- Date
- Tuesday, September 22, 2026
- Letters
- N in the middle, O Q U X E I around it
- Accepted words
- 18
- Pangrams
- 1
- Word lengths
- 4–8 letters
More Spelling Bee
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The live NYT Letter Boxed hints and solution page
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The live NYT Mini Crossword clues and answers page
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