Friday, January 9, 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: 174

Number of Answers: 37

Points Needed for Genius: 122

Genius requires between 17 and 32 words. You need at least a 7-letter word to reach genius. If you don't get the pangram, you need 77% of the total points to reach genius. If you get the pangram, you only need 67% 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 174 was in the 52nd percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there was a score this high was on January 8, 2026.
The highest score ever was 537 on January 22, 2021.
The lowest score ever was 47 on March 27, 2023.

This puzzle's 37 possible answers rank it in the 44th percentile of all puzzles.
The last time there were fewer answers than this was on January 8, 2026.
The highest number of answers was 81 on June 8, 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 January 8, 2026.

Today's puzzle has an average word length of 5.5.
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 227
  • loll 209
  • toot 207
  • naan 189
  • nana 189
  • lilt 150
  • till 150
  • tilt 150
  • nene 148
  • tint 145
  • mama 142
  • mamma 142
  • onion 137
  • onto 136
  • toon 136
  • acacia 134
  • acai 134
  • anal 129
  • anon 128
  • olio 124
  • dodo 120
  • tact 120
  • baba 119
  • papa 119
  • boob 116
  • booboo 116
  • lull 116
  • lulu 116
  • poop 115
  • cocci 114
  • call 112
  • calla 112
  • mitt 112
  • mono 112
  • moon 112
  • tutu 112
  • ratatat 111
  • tart 111
  • tartar 111
  • tattoo 111
  • attar 110
  • loon 109
  • allay 108
  • ally 108
  • ammo 107
  • momma 107
  • tatty 107
  • epee 104
  • peep 104
  • roar 104


How long are words in the Bee?

There have been 112,012 answers ever accepted in the Bee - with 10,894 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*:

  • aahed
  • acidhead
  • ahed
  • apache
  • cachaca
  • caph
  • cepheid
  • chape
  • chappie
  • chid
  • chippie
  • echappe
  • eche
  • eched
  • edaphic
  • epha
  • ephah
  • hade
  • haded
  • haed
  • haha
  • happed
  • happi
  • hided
  • hied
  • hipped
  • pacha
  • peached
  • pech
  • peched

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

ache

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Continued dull pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain.
verb
  1. To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  2. To cause someone or something to suffer pain.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Parsley

Etymology 3

noun
  1. The name of the Latin-script letter H.

ached

verb
  1. To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  2. To cause someone or something to suffer pain.

ahead

adverb
  1. In or to the front; in advance; onward.
  2. In the direction one is facing or moving.
  3. In or for the future.
  4. At an earlier time.
  5. Having progressed more.

aphid

noun
  1. Sapsucking pest insect of the superfamily Aphidoidea; an aphidian.

cache

noun
  1. A store of things that may be required in the future, which can be retrieved rapidly, protected or hidden in some way.
  2. A fast temporary storage where recently or frequently used information is stored to avoid having to reload it from a slower storage medium.
  3. (geocaching) A container containing treasure in a global treasure-hunt game.
verb
  1. To place in a cache.

cached

verb
  1. To place in a cache.

chad

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Small pieces of paper punched out from the edges of continuous stationery, or from ballot papers, paper tape, punched cards, etc.
  2. One of these pieces of paper.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. (pickup community) A very handsome, usually tall, man whom women find sexually attractive; at times seen as an alpha male of a group.

chai

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A female gypsy.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. Short for masala chai, a beverage made with black teas, steamed milk and sweet spices, based loosely on Indian recipes.

chap

Etymology 1

noun
  1. (obsolete outside Britain and Australia) A man, a fellow.
  2. A customer, a buyer.
  3. A child.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A cleft, crack, or chink, as in the surface of the earth, or in the skin.
  2. A division; a breach, as in a party.
  3. A blow; a rap.
verb
  1. Of the skin, to split or flake due to cold weather or dryness.
  2. To cause to open in slits or chinks; to split; to cause the skin of to crack or become rough.
  3. To strike, knock.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. (often in the plural) The jaw.
  2. One of the jaws or cheeks of a vice, etc.

Etymology 4

noun
  1. (authorship) One of the main sections into which the text of a book is divided.
  2. A section of a social or religious body.
  3. A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.
  4. A decretal epistle.
  5. A location or compartment.

chapped

verb
  1. Of the skin, to split or flake due to cold weather or dryness.
  2. To cause to open in slits or chinks; to split; to cause the skin of to crack or become rough.
  3. To strike, knock.
adjective
  1. (of skin) Dry and flaky due to excessive evaporation of water from its surface.
  2. (in combination) Having chaps, or jaws, of a specified kind.

cheap

noun
  1. Trade; traffic; chaffer; chaffering.
  2. A market; marketplace.
  3. Price.
  4. A low price; a bargain.
  5. Cheapness; lowness of price; abundance of supply.
verb
  1. To trade; traffic; bargain; chaffer; ask the price of goods; cheapen goods.
  2. To bargain for; chaffer for; ask the price of; offer a price for; cheapen.
  3. To buy; purchase.
  4. To sell.
adjective
  1. Low and/or reduced in price.
  2. Of poor quality.
  3. Of little worth.
  4. (of an action or tactic in a game of skill) Underhand or unfair.
  5. Stingy; mean; excessively frugal.
  6. Trading at a price level which is low relative to historical trends, a similar asset, or (for derivatives) a theoretical value.
adverb
  1. Cheaply.

cheapie

noun
  1. An item which is inexpensive.
  2. An item of poor quality.
  3. A person who is stingy, a cheapskate.
adjective
  1. Cheap; inferior.

cheep

noun
  1. A short, high-pitched sound made by a small bird.
verb
  1. Of a small bird, to make short, high-pitched sounds sounding like "cheep".
  2. To express in a chirping tone.
interjection
  1. The short, high-pitched sound made by a small bird.

cheeped

verb
  1. Of a small bird, to make short, high-pitched sounds sounding like "cheep".
  2. To express in a chirping tone.

chia

noun
  1. A Mexican sage grown for its edible seeds, Salvia hispanica.
  2. Salvia columbariae, a sage with similar seeds, native to the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.

chic

Etymology 1

noun
  1. Good form; style.
  2. A person with (a particular type of) chic.
adjective
  1. Elegant, stylish.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. A kind of ritual buffoon or clown in Yucatec Maya culture.

chica

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A Latin-American girl; a Latina.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. An orange-red dyestuff obtained by boiling the leaves of the bignonia.

chichi

Etymology 1

adjective
  1. Affectedly trendy; chic and stylish

Etymology 2

noun
  1. (Latin America, chiefly in the plural) A woman's breast.

chide

verb
  1. To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.
  2. To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily.
  3. To make a clamorous noise; to chafe.

chided

verb
  1. To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.
  2. To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily.
  3. To make a clamorous noise; to chafe.

chip

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A small piece broken from a larger piece of solid material.
  2. A damaged area of a surface where a small piece has been broken off.
  3. (games) A token used in place of cash.
  4. A sovereign (the coin).
  5. A circuit fabricated in one piece on a small, thin substrate.
  6. A hybrid device mounted in a substrate, containing electronic circuitry and miniaturised mechanical, chemical and/or biochemical devices.
  7. (especially in the plural) A fried strip of potato of square or rectangular cross-section; a french fry.
  8. (especially in the plural) A thin, crisp, fried slice of potato, or sometimes another vegetable; a crisp.
  9. A shot during which the ball travels more predominantly upwards than in a regular shot, as to clear an obstacle.
  10. A takeout that hits a rock at an angle.
  11. A dried piece of dung, often used as fuel.
  12. (northern) A receptacle, usually for strawberries or other fruit.
  13. A small, near-conical piece of food added in baking.
  14. A small rectangle of colour printed on coated paper for colour selection and matching. A virtual equivalent in software applications.
  15. The triangular piece of wood attached to the log line.
  16. Wood or Cuban palm leaf split into slips, or straw plaited in a special manner, for making hats or bonnets.
  17. Anything dried up, withered, or without flavour.
  18. A low shot that travels further along the ground than it does in the air.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To chop or cut into small pieces.
  2. To break small pieces from.
  3. To play a shot hitting the ball predominantly upwards rather than forwards. In association football specifically, when the shot is a shot on goal, the opposing goalkeeper may be the direct object of the verb, rather than the ball.
  4. To upgrade an engine management system, usually to increase power.
  5. To become chipped.
  6. (often with "in") To ante (up).
  7. To fit (an animal) with a microchip.
  8. (often with "in") to contribute.
  9. (also, to chip at) To make fun of.

chipped

verb
  1. To chop or cut into small pieces.
  2. To break small pieces from.
  3. To play a shot hitting the ball predominantly upwards rather than forwards. In association football specifically, when the shot is a shot on goal, the opposing goalkeeper may be the direct object of the verb, rather than the ball.
  4. To upgrade an engine management system, usually to increase power.
  5. To become chipped.
  6. (often with "in") To ante (up).
  7. To fit (an animal) with a microchip.
  8. (often with "in") to contribute.
  9. (also, to chip at) To make fun of.
adjective
  1. Having one or more chips (small pieces) missing.
  2. Having had a microchip fitted.
  3. Having had the engine management system upgraded, usually to increase power.

dacha

noun
  1. A Russian villa or summer house in the countryside.

deadhead

noun
  1. A fan of the rock band The Grateful Dead.
noun
  1. A person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend.
  2. An employee of a transportation company, especially a pilot, traveling as a passenger for logistical reasons, for example to return home or travel to their next assignment.
  3. Anyone traveling for free.
  4. A train or truck moved between cities with no passengers or freight, in order to make it available for service.
  5. A person staying at a lodging, such as a hotel or boarding house, without paying rent; freeloader.
  6. A stupid or boring person; dullard.
  7. A tree or tree branch fixed in the bottom of a river or other navigable body of water, partially submerged or rising nearly the surface, by which boats are sometimes pierced and sunk; snag.
  8. Driftwood.
  9. A zombie.
verb
  1. To admit to a performance without charge.
  2. To travel as a deadhead, or non-paying passenger.
  3. To drive an empty vehicle.
  4. To send (a person or message) for free.
  5. To remove spent or dead blossoms from a plant.

deadheaded

verb
  1. To admit to a performance without charge.
  2. To travel as a deadhead, or non-paying passenger.
  3. To drive an empty vehicle.
  4. To send (a person or message) for free.
  5. To remove spent or dead blossoms from a plant.

each

noun
  1. (operations) An individual item: the least quantitative unit in a grouping.
adverb
  1. For one; apiece; per.
pronoun
  1. Every one; every thing.

head

Etymology 1

noun
  1. The part of the body of an animal or human which contains the brain, mouth and main sense organs.
  2. The topmost, foremost, or leading part.
  3. (social, metonymy) A leader or expert.
  4. A significant or important part.
  5. Headway; progress.
  6. Topic; subject.
  7. Denouement; crisis.
  8. (fluid dynamics) Pressure and energy.
  9. Fellatio or cunnilingus; oral sex.
  10. The glans penis.
  11. A heavy or habitual user of illicit drugs.
  12. Power; armed force.
verb
  1. To be in command of. (See also head up.)
  2. To come at the beginning of; to commence.
  3. To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
  4. To move in a specified direction.
  5. To remove the head from a fish.
  6. To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
  7. To form a head.
  8. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
  9. To cut off the top of; to lop off.
  10. To behead; to decapitate.
  11. To go in front of.
  12. To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
  13. (by extension) To check or restrain.
  14. To set on the head.
adjective
  1. Of, relating to, or intended for the head.

Etymology 2

adjective
  1. Foremost in rank or importance.
  2. Placed at the top or the front.
  3. Coming from in front.

headache

noun
  1. A pain or ache in the head.
  2. A nuisance or unpleasant problem.

headed

Etymology 1

adjective
  1. Of a sheet of paper: having the sender's name, address, etc. pre-printed at the top.
  2. (in combination) Having a head with specified characteristics.
  3. (in combination) Heading in a certain direction.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To be in command of. (See also head up.)
  2. To come at the beginning of; to commence.
  3. To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
  4. To move in a specified direction.
  5. To remove the head from a fish.
  6. To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
  7. To form a head.
  8. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.
  9. To cut off the top of; to lop off.
  10. To behead; to decapitate.
  11. To go in front of.
  12. To get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose.
  13. (by extension) To check or restrain.
  14. To set on the head.

headpiece

noun
  1. The head; the brain.
  2. Something covering the head.
  3. Protecting cover for the head; a helmet.
  4. A headset.
  5. A headstall.
  6. A decorative page heading used at the start of volumes or chapters.
  7. The top piece or part of various things.

heap

noun
  1. A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of people.
  2. A pile or mass; a collection of things laid in a body, or thrown together so as to form an elevation.
  3. A great number or large quantity of things.
  4. A data structure consisting of trees in which each node is greater than all its children.
  5. Memory that is dynamically allocated.
  6. A dilapidated place or vehicle.
  7. A lot, a large amount
verb
  1. To pile in a heap.
  2. To form or round into a heap, as in measuring.
  3. To supply in great quantity.
adverb
  1. (representing broken English stereotypically or comically attributed to Native Americans; may be offensive) Very.

heaped

verb
  1. To pile in a heap.
  2. To form or round into a heap, as in measuring.
  3. To supply in great quantity.
adjective
  1. In a heap.
  2. Containing a heap.

heed

noun
  1. Careful attention.
verb
  1. To guard, protect.
  2. To mind; to regard with care; to take notice of; to attend to; to observe.
  3. To pay attention, care.

heeded

verb
  1. To guard, protect.
  2. To mind; to regard with care; to take notice of; to attend to; to observe.
  3. To pay attention, care.

hide

Etymology 1

verb
  1. To put (something) in a place where it will be harder to discover or out of sight.
  2. To put oneself in a place where one will be harder to find or out of sight.

Etymology 2

noun
  1. The skin of an animal.
  2. The human skin.
  3. (usually United States) One's own life or personal safety, especially when in peril.
  4. (mainly British) A covered structure from which hunters, birdwatchers, etc can observe animals without scaring them.
  5. A secret room for hiding oneself or valuables; a hideaway.
  6. A covered structure to which a pet animal can retreat, as is recommended for snakes.
verb
  1. To beat with a whip made from hide.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A unit of land and tax assessment of varying size, originally as intended to support one household with dependents.

hippie

noun
  1. (1950s slang) A teenager who imitated the beatniks.
  2. (1960s slang; still widely used in reference to that era) One who chooses not to conform to prevailing social norms: especially one who subscribes to values or actions such as acceptance or self-practice of recreational drug use, liberal or radical sexual mores, advocacy of communal living, strong pacifism or anti-war sentiment, etc.
  3. (modern slang) A person who keeps an unkempt or sloppy appearance and wearing unusually long hair (for males), and because of it, often stereotyped as a deadbeat.
  4. Someone who dresses in a hippie style.
  5. One who is hip.
adjective
  1. Of or pertaining to hippies.
  2. Not conforming to generally accepted standards.

peach

Etymology 1

noun
  1. A tree (Prunus persica), native to China and now widely cultivated throughout temperate regions, having pink flowers and edible fruit.
  2. The soft juicy stone fruit of the peach tree, having yellow flesh, downy, red-tinted yellow skin, and a deeply sculptured pit or stone containing a single seed.
  3. A light moderate to strong yellowish pink to light orange color.
  4. A particularly admirable or pleasing person or thing.
adjective
  1. Of or pertaining to the color peach.
  2. Particularly pleasing or agreeable.

Etymology 2

verb
  1. To inform on someone; turn informer.
  2. To inform against.

Etymology 3

noun
  1. A particular rock found in tin mines, sometimes associated with chlorite.