Friday, August 21, 2026

Answers to yesterday's Bee

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The official answers for today's puzzle are:

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Number of Pangrams: 1

Maximum Puzzle Score: 95

Number of Answers: 23

Points Needed for Genius: 67

Genius requires between 10 and 21 words. You need at least a 7-letter word to reach genius. If you don't get the pangram, you need 85% of the total points to reach genius. If you get the pangram, you only need 65% of the remaining points to reach genius.

Other days with this pangram:

The button below will reveal a chart with the number of words by each letter. Red bars indicate that there is a pangram(s) starting with that letter.


How does this puzzle compare to other puzzles?

Today's score of 95 was in the 10th percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there was a score this low was on August 05, 2026.
The highest score ever was 537 on January 22, 2021.
The lowest score ever was 47 on March 27, 2023.

This puzzle's 23 possible answers rank it in the 6th percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there were fewer answers than this was on August 05, 2026.
The highest number of answers was 81 on June 08, 2019.
The lowest number of answers was 16 on March 27, 2023.

It takes a 7-letter word for genius.
The last time this happened was on August 19, 2026.

Today's puzzle has an average word length of 5.1.
For all Bees, the average word length has been 5.3.



Haven't I seen these letters before?

Hover over a letter to see its first and most recent appearance in the Bee!



Haven't I seen these words before?

The most common words in the Bee are:

  • noon 248
  • loll 228
  • toot 221
  • nana 207
  • naan 207
  • tilt 160
  • till 160
  • nene 160
  • mamma 160
  • mama 160
  • lilt 160
  • tint 157
  • onion 153
  • acai 150
  • acacia 150
  • toon 148
  • onto 148
  • olio 140
  • anon 139
  • anal 139
  • tact 130
  • dodo 130
  • papa 129
  • baba 129
  • mitt 128
  • lulu 126
  • lull 126
  • loon 124
  • poop 122
  • calla 122
  • call 122
  • booboo 122
  • boob 122
  • cocci 121
  • tartar 119
  • tart 119
  • ratatat 119
  • moon 119
  • mono 119
  • tattoo 118
  • attar 118
  • tutu 116
  • cancan 115
  • momma 114
  • aria 114
  • ammo 114
  • ally 114
  • allay 114
  • meme 113
  • roar 112


How long are words in the Bee?

There have been 122,080 answers ever accepted in the Bee - with 11,120 unique words.
Below are the distributions of the lengths of these words.



Valid dictionary words not in today's official answers

You may be wondering why these words aren't here*:

  • durn
  • duro
  • durr
  • grugru
  • gundog
  • honour
  • hunh
  • nondrug
  • nurd
  • odour
  • rudd
  • runround
  • unrough
  • unround

*Because the New York Times considers them obscure or offensive.

dough

noun
  1. A thick, malleable substance made by mixing flour with other ingredients such as water, eggs, and/or butter, that is made into a particular form and then baked.
  2. Money.
verb
  1. To make into dough.

dour

adjective
  1. Stern, harsh and forbidding.
  2. Unyielding and obstinate.
  3. Expressing gloom or melancholy; sullenly unhappy.

drug

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.
  2. A psychoactive substance, especially one which is illegal and addictive, ingested for recreational use, such as cocaine.
  3. Anything, such as a substance, emotion or action, to which one is addicted.
  4. Any commodity that lies on hand, or is not salable; an article of slow sale, or in no demand.
verb
  1. To administer intoxicating drugs to, generally without the recipient's knowledge or consent.
  2. To add intoxicating drugs to with the intention of drugging someone.
  3. To prescribe or administer drugs or medicines.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.
  2. To move onward heavily, laboriously, or slowly; to advance with weary effort; to go on lingeringly.
  3. To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
  4. To draw along (something burdensome); hence, to pass in pain or with difficulty.
  5. To serve as a clog or hindrance; to hold back.
  6. To move (an item) on the computer display by means of a mouse or other input device.
  7. (chiefly of a vehicle) To unintentionally rub or scrape on a surface.
  8. To hit or kick off target.
  9. To fish with a dragnet.
  10. To search for something, as a lost object or body, by dragging something along the bottom of a body of water.
  11. To break (land) by drawing a drag or harrow over it; to harrow.
  12. To search exhaustively, as if with a dragnet.
  13. To roast, say negative things about, or call attention to the flaws of (someone).

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A drudge.

dugong

noun
  1. A plant-eating aquatic marine mammal, of the genus Dugong, found in tropical regions.

dung

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Manure; animal excrement.
  2. A type of manure, as from a particular species or type of animal.
verb
  1. To fertilize with dung.
  2. (calico printing) To immerse or steep, as calico, in a bath of hot water containing cow dung, done to remove the superfluous mordant.
  3. To release dung: to defecate.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To hit or strike.
  2. To dash; to throw violently.
  3. To inflict minor damage upon, especially by hitting or striking.
  4. To fire or reject.
  5. To deduct, as points, from another, in the manner of a penalty; to penalize.
  6. To mishit (a golf ball).

Etymology 3

verb
  1. To discard (especially rubbish); to chuck out.

dunno

noun
  1. An utterance of the word dunno.

gourd

noun
  1. Any of the trailing or climbing vines producing fruit with a hard rind or shell, from the genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita (in Cucurbitaceae).
  2. A hard-shelled fruit from a plant in Lagenaria or Cucurbita.
  3. The dried and hardened shell of such fruit, made into a drinking vessel, bowl, spoon, or other objects designed for use or decoration.
  4. Any of the climbing or trailing plants from the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes watermelon, pumpkins, and cucumbers.
  5. Loaded dice.
  6. Head.

ground

Etymology 1

noun
  1. The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
  2. Terrain.
  3. Soil, earth.
  4. The bottom of a body of water.
  5. Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork.
  6. (chiefly in the plural) Reason, (epistemic) justification, cause.
  7. Background, context, framework, surroundings.
  8. The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground".
  9. (by extension) Advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse.
  10. The plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set.
  11. In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief.
  12. In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied.
  13. In etching, a gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except where an opening is made by the needle.
  14. (chiefly in the plural) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached.
  15. A soccer stadium.
  16. An electrical conductor connected to the earth, or a large conductor whose electrical potential is taken as zero (such as a steel chassis).
  17. The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground).
  18. A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody.
  19. The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
  20. The pit of a theatre.
verb
  1. To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground.
  2. To punish, especially a child or teenager, by forcing him/her to stay at home and/or give up certain privileges.
  3. To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly.
  4. To give a basic education in a particular subject; to instruct in elements or first principles.
  5. To hit a ground ball. Compare fly (verb(regular)) and line (verb).
  6. To place something on the ground.
  7. To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed.
  8. To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly.
  9. To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for etching, or as paper or other materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for ornament.
  10. To improve or focus the mental or emotional state of.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.
  2. To shape with the force of friction.
  3. To remove material by rubbing with an abrasive surface.
  4. To become ground, pulverized, or polished by friction.
  5. To move with much difficulty or friction; to grate.
  6. To slide the flat portion of a skateboard or snowboard across an obstacle such as a railing.
  7. To oppress, hold down or weaken.
  8. To rotate the hips erotically.
  9. To dance in a sexually suggestive way with both partners in very close proximity, often pressed against each other.
  10. To repeat a task a large number of times in a row to achieve a specific goal.
  11. To operate by turning a crank.
  12. To produce mechanically and repetitively as if by turning a crank.
  13. To automatically format and indent code.
  14. To instill through repetitive teaching.
  15. To eat.
  16. To work or study hard; to hustle or drudge.
  17. To annoy or irritate (a person); to grind one's gears.
adjective
  1. Crushed, or reduced to small particles.
  2. Processed by grinding.

groundhog

noun
  1. A red-brown marmot, Marmota monax, native to North America.
  2. The aardvark.

guru

noun
  1. A Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher.
  2. (sometimes humorous) An influential advisor or mentor.

hound

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A dog, particularly a breed with a good sense of smell developed for hunting other animals.
  2. Any canine animal.
  3. (by extension) Someone who seeks something.
  4. (by extension) A male who constantly seeks the company of desirable women.
  5. A despicable person.
  6. A houndfish.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To persistently harass.
  2. To urge on against; to set (dogs) upon in hunting.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. (in the plural) Projections at the masthead, serving as a support for the trestletrees and top to rest on.
  2. A side bar used to strengthen portions of the running gear of a vehicle.

hour

noun
  1. A time period of sixty minutes; one twenty-fourth of a day.
  2. A season, moment, or time.
  3. The time.
  4. (in the plural) Used after a two-digit hour and a two-digit minute to indicate time.
  5. (in the plural) The set times of prayer, the canonical hours, the offices or services prescribed for these, or a book containing them.
  6. A distance that can be traveled in one hour.

hung

verb
  1. To be or remain suspended.
  2. To float, as if suspended.
  3. (of a ball in cricket, tennis, etc.) To rebound unexpectedly or unusually slowly, due to backward spin on the ball or imperfections of the ground.
  4. To hold or bear in a suspended or inclined manner or position instead of erect.
  5. To cause (something) to be suspended, as from a hook, hanger, hinges or the like.
  6. To execute (someone) by suspension from the neck.
  7. To be executed by suspension by one's neck from a gallows, a tree, or other raised bar, attached by a rope tied into a noose.
  8. (used in maledictions) To damn.
  9. To loiter, hang around, to spend time idly.
  10. To exhibit (an object) by hanging.
  11. To apply (wallpaper or drywall to a wall).
  12. To decorate (something) with hanging objects.
  13. To remain persistently in one's thoughts.
  14. To prevent from reaching a decision, especially by refusing to join in a verdict that must be unanimous.
  15. To stop responding to manual input devices such as keyboard and mouse.
  16. To cause (a program or computer) to stop responding.
  17. To cause (a piece) to become vulnerable to capture.
  18. To be vulnerable to capture.
  19. Of a pitcher, to throw a hittable off-speed pitch.
adjective
  1. Suspended by hanging.
  2. Having hanging additions or appendages.
  3. Of a jury, unable to reach a unanimous verdict in a trial.
  4. Of a legislature, lacking a majority political party.
  5. Of a computer or similar device, receiving power but not functioning as desired; working very slowly or not at all. The condition is often corrected by rebooting the computer.
  6. (of a person, slightly vulgar) Having a large penis (often preceded by an adverb, e.g. well hung).

noun

noun
  1. (grammar, narrow sense) A word that can be used to refer to a person, animal, place, thing, phenomenon, substance, quality, or idea; one of the basic parts of speech in many languages, including English.
  2. (grammar, now rare, broad sense) Either a word that can be used to refer to a person, animal, place, thing, phenomenon, substance, quality or idea, or a word that modifies or describes a previous word or its referent; a substantive or adjective, sometimes also including other parts of speech such as numeral or pronoun.
verb
  1. To convert a word to a noun.

rough

noun
  1. The unmowed part of a golf course.
  2. A rude fellow; a coarse bully; a rowdy.
  3. A scuffed and roughened area of the pitch, where the bowler's feet fall, used as a target by spin bowlers because of its unpredictable bounce.
  4. The raw material from which faceted or cabochon gems are created.
  5. A quick sketch, similar to a thumbnail but larger and more detailed, used for artistic brainstorming.
  6. Boisterous weather.
  7. A piece inserted in a horseshoe to keep the animal from slipping.
verb
  1. To create in an approximate form.
  2. To commit the offense of roughing, i.e. to punch another player.
  3. To render rough; to roughen.
  4. To break in (a horse, etc.), especially for military purposes.
  5. To endure primitive conditions.
  6. To roughen a horse's shoes to keep the animal from slipping.
adjective
  1. Not smooth; uneven.
  2. Approximate; hasty or careless; not finished.
  3. Turbulent.
  4. Difficult; trying.
  5. Crude; unrefined
  6. Violent; not careful or subtle
  7. Loud and hoarse; offensive to the ear; harsh; grating.
  8. Not polished; uncut; said of a gem.
  9. Harsh-tasting.
  10. Somewhat ill; sick
  11. Unwell due to alcohol; hungover
adverb
  1. In a rough manner; rudely; roughly.

round

Etymology 1

adverb
  1. So as to form a circle or trace a circular path, or approximation thereof.
  2. So as to surround or be near.
  3. Nearly; approximately; about.
  4. From place to place.
  5. From one state or condition to an opposite or very different one; with a metaphorical change in direction; bringing about awareness or agreement.
  6. (with turn, spin etc.) So as to partially or completely rotate; so as to face in the opposite direction.
  7. Used with verbs to indicate repeated or continuous action, or in numerous locations or with numerous people.
  8. Used with certain verbs to suggest unproductive activity.
preposition
  1. Defining a circle or closed curve containing a thing.
  2. (of abstract things) Centred upon; surrounding.
  3. Following the perimeter of a specified area and returning to the starting point.
  4. Following a path which curves near an object, with the object on the inside of the curve.
  5. Near; in the vicinity of.
  6. At or to various places within.
noun
  1. A circular or spherical object or part of an object.
  2. A circular or repetitious route.
  3. A general outburst from a group of people at an event.
  4. A song that is sung by groups of people with each subset of people starting at a different time.
  5. A serving of something; a portion of something to each person in a group.
  6. A single individual portion or dose of medicine.
  7. One sandwich (two full slices of bread with filling).
  8. A long-bristled, circular-headed paintbrush used in oil and acrylic painting.
  9. A firearm cartridge, bullet, or any individual ammunition projectile. Originally referring to the spherical projectile ball of a smoothbore firearm. Compare round shot and solid shot.
  10. One of the specified pre-determined segments of the total time of a sport event, such as a boxing or wrestling match, during which contestants compete before being signaled to stop.
  11. A stage, level, set of events in a game
  12. (drafting, CAD) A rounded relief or cut at an edge, especially an outside edge, added for a finished appearance and to soften sharp edges.
  13. A strip of material with a circular face that covers an edge, gap, or crevice for decorative, sanitary, or security purposes.
  14. (butchery) The hindquarters of a bovine.
  15. A rung, as of a ladder.
  16. A crosspiece that joins and braces the legs of a chair.
  17. A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution.
  18. A course of action or conduct performed by a number of persons in turn, or one after another, as if seated in a circle.
  19. A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
  20. A circular dance.
  21. Rotation, as in office; succession.
  22. A general discharge of firearms by a body of troops in which each soldier fires once.
  23. An assembly; a group; a circle.
  24. A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.
  25. A vessel filled, as for drinking.
  26. A round-top.
  27. A round of beef.
verb
  1. To shape something into a curve.
  2. To become shaped into a curve.
  3. (with "out") To finish; to complete; to fill out.
  4. To approximate a number, especially a decimal number by the closest whole number.
  5. To turn past a boundary.
  6. To turn and attack someone or something (used with on).
  7. To advance to home plate.
  8. To go round, pass, go past.
  9. To encircle; to encompass.
  10. To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
  11. To do ward rounds.
  12. To go round, as a guard; to make the rounds.
  13. To go or turn round; to wheel about.
adjective
  1. (physical) Shape.
  2. Complete, whole, not lacking.
  3. (of a number) Convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
  4. Pronounced with the lips drawn together; rounded.
  5. Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; not mincing.
  6. Finished; polished; not defective or abrupt; said of authors or their writing style.
  7. Consistent; fair; just; applied to conduct.
  8. Large in magnitude.
  9. (authorship, of a fictional character) Well-written and well-characterized; complex and reminiscent of a real person.
  10. Vaulted.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To speak in a low tone; whisper; speak secretly; take counsel.
  2. To address or speak to in a whisper, utter in a whisper.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A whisper; whispering.
  2. Discourse; song.

rung

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A crosspiece forming a step of a ladder; a round.
  2. A crosspiece between legs of a chair.
  3. A position in a hierarchy.
  4. A floor timber in a ship.
  5. One of the stakes of a cart; a spar; a heavy staff.
  6. One of the radial handles projecting from the rim of a steering wheel.
  7. One of the pins or trundles of a lantern wheel.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. Of a bell, etc., to produce a resonant sound.
  2. To make (a bell, etc.) produce a resonant sound.
  3. To produce (a sound) by ringing.
  4. To produce the sound of a bell or a similar sound.
  5. Of something spoken or written, to appear to be, to seem, to sound.
  6. To telephone (someone).
  7. To resound, reverberate, echo.
  8. To produce music with bells.
  9. To repeat often, loudly, or earnestly.
adjective
  1. Of a pig: having a ring through the nose.

udon

No Definition Found.

undo

No Definition Found.

unground

verb
  1. To remove a connection to ground potential.
  2. To free from the punishment of being grounded (restricted to home).
adjective
  1. Not having been ground; unpulverized.

unhood

verb
  1. To remove the hood from.

unhung

No Definition Found.

nunhood

No Definition Found.