How to play the Spelling Bee Game

The Spelling Bee Game is a word puzzle in which you make as many valid words as you can from seven letters arranged in a honeycomb. The rules are simple, but mastering the game takes practice.

The rules

1. Each puzzle has seven letters, one of them highlighted in the center.
2. Every word you submit must include the center letter.
3. Words must be at least four letters long.
4. Letters can be reused as often as you like in the same word.
5. Proper nouns, abbreviations, and offensive words are not accepted.
6. Enter words by tapping the honeycomb letters, or, on desktop, by typing them on your keyboard. Press Enter to submit.

Scoring

The scoring rewards longer words and especially pangrams - words that use all seven letters at least once.

• 4-letter word: 1 point.
• 5-letter word: 5 points.
• 6-letter word: 6 points.
• N-letter word (N >= 5): N points.
• Pangram: +7 bonus points on top of the length score.

The ranks

As you accumulate points your rank climbs from Beginner all the way up to Queen Bee. Each rank is a percentage of the total points available in the puzzle, so harder puzzles take fewer raw points to reach the same rank.

Hints without spoilers

The hint panel never tells you the answer. It tells you how many valid words have each length, how many start with each two-letter prefix, and how many pangrams remain. Use it to refocus when you are stuck without spoiling the puzzle.

Tips for beginners

• Always look for the pangram first - it is worth a 7-point bonus.
• Try common prefixes (re-, un-, pre-) and suffixes (-ing, -ed, -er).
• Use the shuffle button to see new letter patterns.
• Letters can be reused - longer words usually do.

Ready to play?

Jump into the Daily Puzzle, try Spelling Bee Unlimited, or read the full rules and scoring guide.

FAQ