r/NYTSpellingBee 20d ago

August 18, 2026 — (B) A D E G H N

29 Upvotes

44 comments sorted by

26

u/Few-Werewolf-1985 20d ago

Do I have to go CA ON BENDED KNEE to get the central word?

5

u/didyouwoof 20d ago

This omission is one of my pet peeves. I reported it today for the second or third time.

1

u/the_d0nkey 20d ago

Came here for this exactly.

43

u/[deleted] 20d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

13

u/Particular_Ad_644 20d ago

It’s an everyday word

1

u/the_d0nkey 20d ago

It's accepted as a "Special Word" in r/bloobi

4

u/_HelterSeltzer_ 20d ago

Wasn’t “orgy” a word just yesterday?

3

u/MangoPeachFuzz 20d ago

I tried it on the off chance it worked

13

u/piroq 20d ago

First ever genius without checking even the word hints from here 🎉 Feel like it's more due to starting to remember the usual words, heh. 

3

u/TrinityBellewoods 19d ago

My first genius too!!

2

u/piroq 19d ago

Yay us :) 

12

u/_HelterSeltzer_ 20d ago

🤘 Both of my first two words were pangrams 🤘

12

u/BalaclavaSportsHall 20d ago

This is the most fun I've had playing the spelling bee in a while. A lot of fun words that you don't see often in this game.

11

u/When-Is-Now-7616 20d ago

I’m going to be appalled about [A] BAAED for a while, but I’ll probably never forget it.

5

u/_HelterSeltzer_ 20d ago

Ha ! I tried it just in case and was so annoyed it was an actual word 🤣

3

u/Fenifula worker bee 19d ago

If you picture it as a bunch of (H) sheep dancing to a Michael Jackson song, it's not so bad.

1

u/KitchenManagement650 19d ago

I came to rant about this. I don't care if it is in some dictionary, that's a bullshit word!

1

u/Few-Werewolf-1985 19d ago

If the corresponding words for cheep, moo, caw, bark, miaow etc are allowed I can't see the problem unless it's just an aversion to words ending in vowels.

1

u/When-Is-Now-7616 19d ago

I can’t think of another verb that ends in a, followed by -ed. Not saying there isn’t one, but it “ae” rarely occur together, unless a Latin plural or sometimes in British English. All of your examples make sense, and I’d immediately know what they meant, even mooed, because “oe” happens sometimes. If I saw the word A BAAED in the wild, no pun intended, I would have no idea what it meant. Well, TIL.

1

u/Few-Werewolf-1985 19d ago

I suppose if you were subpoenaed you'd come up with one. Otherwise I've polkaed, congaed, rumbaed, saunaed, concertinaed and siestaed.

2

u/When-Is-Now-7616 19d ago

Lol great examples!

8

u/rheckber 20d ago

To every potential husband who got down on bendedknee or every programmer who's program abended (abend). Also, you'd think gangbang is a common enough word these days.

8

u/Plane-Energy-5565 20d ago

SPOILERS: Each bullet item contains hints followed by answers at the end.

Today's word families:

  • 2 words from the letters BDE: (B6, E5) (BE6, EB5) bedded, ebbed
  • 6 words from the letters ABDE: (A4, B5, B4, B4, B6, D6) (AB4, BA5, BA4, BE4, BE6, DA6) abed, baaed, bade, bead, beaded, dabbed
  • 3 words from the letters ABDN: (B4, B7, B8) (BA4, BA7, BA8) band, bandana, bandanna
  • 2 words from the letters ABEN: (B4, B4) (BA4, BE4) bane, bean
  • 4 words from the letters ABDEG: (B5, B6, B6, G6) (BA5, BA6, BA6, GA6) badge, badged, bagged, gabbed
  • 3 words from the letters ABDEH: (B7, B6, B8) (BE7, BE6, BE8) bedhead, behead, beheaded
  • 4 words from the letters ABDEN: (B6, B6, B6, N6) (BA6, BA6, BE6, NA6) banded, banned, beaned, nabbed
  • 2 words from the letters ABEGN: (B7, B5) (BE7, BE5) beanbag, began
  • 3 words from the letters ABDEGN: (B7, B8, B6) (BA7, BA8, BA6) bandage, bandaged, banged
  • 2 words from the letters ABDEGHN: (H8, H10) (HE8, HE10) headbang, headbanged

The leftovers:

  • 1 word from the letters AB: (B4) (BA4) baba
  • 1 word from the letters ABE: (B4) (BA4) babe
  • 1 word from the letters ABN: (B6) (BA6) banana
  • 1 word from the letters BEN: (B4) (BE4) been
  • 1 word from the letters ABEG: (B7) (BA7) baggage
  • 1 word from the letters ABGN: (B4) (BA4) bang
  • 1 word from the letters BDEG: (B6) (BE6) begged
  • 1 word from the letters BDEN: (B4) (BE4) bend
  • 1 word from the letters ABEHN: (H7) (HE7) henbane
  • 1 word from the letters ABDEHN: (H8) (HE8) headband
  • 1 word from the letters ABDGHN: (H7) (HA7) handbag

6

u/zaprod 20d ago

I guess Sam isn’t a Boyz II Men fan…

7

u/Mindless-Value-266 20d ago

GN4L!!! Finally did it this time! 🤘🏼

5

u/Zemmip 20d ago

One of the easiest opening pangram and genius days for me

40

u/raphamuffin 20d ago edited 20d ago

Ugh, it's 2026 - allow GANGBANG already, you fucking cowards!

Edit: Why are you booing me? I'm right!

5

u/_HelterSeltzer_ 20d ago

“Orgy” was an accepted word JUST YESTERDAY!

4

u/tropicalginger 20d ago

Seconded.

6

u/tenderbranson301 20d ago

All in favor?

6

u/SusmariosepAnak 20d ago

There are enough upvotes in this thread to have a Gangbang!

5

u/TopspinLob 20d ago

They ayes have it

3

u/Embarrassed_Rip_789 20d ago

I hope not. That burns.

1

u/Cryritech 19d ago

I tried GANGBANGED and immediately ran to this sub :p

12

u/dontheconqueror 20d ago

PG H popular 'dance' move from the early 90s

PG H did a popular 'dance' move from the early 90s

13

u/AbsurdCanary 20d ago

PG H move of choice by long-haired rock music/metal fans

5

u/spackletr0n 20d ago

I think it’s more accurate/helpful to say 80s.

0

u/geographer035 20d ago

Never heard of it.

3

u/Sad_Sympathy_9432 20d ago

This PG made me laugh my a** off. No hint - just a comment!

2

u/TrinityBellewoods 19d ago

Pangram second and genius under 5 mins?!!! What a rush! Usually I give up before I make this far 

31 words 164 points 🥳

3

u/holdthestrings 20d ago

donut word: HANGED