NYT Spelling Bee Answers Today: May 12, 2026

NYT Spelling Bee Answers Today: May 12, 2026

Edited by Sam Ezersky • Solved by WordFinder Tips

NYT Spelling Bee Answers May 12, 2026

🐝 Today's Pangram

CLICK TO REVEAL PANGRAM
A B M C N O T

Full Solution List

4 Letters

BANCCAMOCANTCOATCOCACOMACOMBCOOTTACOTACT

5 Letters

BACONCACAOCANNACANONCOCOACOMBOCOMMA

6 Letters

BOBCATCABANACANCANCANNONCANNOTCANTONCOCOONCOMBATCOMMONCOTTONNONCOMOCTANTTOMCAT

7 Letters

CANTATACONCOCTCONTACTTOBACCOTOCCATA

8 Letters

CATACOMB

9 Letters

COMBATANT

12 Letters

NONCOMBATANT

💡 2-Letter Hint Grid

Use this grid to see how many words start with each 2-letter combination.

BA2
BO1
CA12
CO15
NO2
OC1
TA2
TO3

Table of Contents

Today’s Puzzle Overview

Today’s puzzle features the center letter C. The surrounding letters include A, B, M, N, O, and T. This combination offers a mix of hard consonants and soft vowels. You have plenty of opportunities to build words related to food, music, and even military history. The letter C acts as a strong anchor for many common prefixes. Here at WordFinder Tips, we found today’s puzzle rewards players who look for repeating patterns and rhythmic sounds.

The letter set feels very balanced. You have two vowels, A and O, which pair perfectly with the C. The consonants M and N allow for many nasal endings. Meanwhile, the T and B provide sharp stops for shorter words. You will find that many words today use the same letters in different orders. Keep an eye out for words that sound like they belong in a kitchen or a concert hall. This grid offers a fun challenge for anyone hunting for that elusive Queen Bee status.

Deep Mechanic Analysis for Today

The Pangram Breakdown

Today features two pangrams: COMBATANT and NONCOMBATANT. Both words use every single letter in the hive. A COMBATANT is a person or nation engaged in fighting during a war. It comes from the word combat, which means to fight. When you add the prefix NON-, you get NONCOMBATANT. This refers to someone who is not involved in the actual fighting, such as a medic or a civilian. These words are long and provide a massive point boost. Finding both will put you well on your way to the top rank.

High-Value Word Clusters

Today’s grid relies heavily on the CO- and CON- prefixes. You can build several words by starting with these two letters. For example, CONTACT and CONCOCT both use the CON- start. You also see many words ending in -ON or -AN. Words like CANON, CANTON, and CANNON show how much you can do with just a few repeating letters. Another cluster involves musical terms. The letters allow for TOCCATA and CANTATA, which are specific types of musical compositions. If you think about rhythm and sound, you will find more words faster.

Specific Traps & Red Herrings

Watch out for words that look right but lack the center letter. You might want to type BANANA or MAMMA, but those do not contain a C. Since every word must include the center letter, these common words will fail. Also, be careful with ABBOT or MOON. They fit the outer letters but ignore the C requirement. Another trap involves spelling. People often confuse CACAO and COCOA. Today, the puzzle accepts both! Make sure you enter both versions to maximize your score. Finally, don’t forget the double letters. Words like COTTON and COMMON require you to use the same letter twice in a row.

Today’s Solutions

The NYT Spelling Bee answers today include a variety of interesting terms. Beyond the pangrams COMBATANT and NONCOMBATANT, you should look for CATACOMB. This word refers to an underground cemetery consisting of tunnels and rooms with recesses for tombs. It is a high-value word that uses almost all the letters. Another great find is OCTANT. In geometry, an octant is one-eighth of a circle or a specific part of a three-dimensional coordinate system. It is also an old navigation tool used by sailors.

Foodies will enjoy today’s list. You can find BACON, TACO, and COCOA. You also have CACAO, which refers to the bean used to make chocolate. If you like animals, look for BOBCAT and TOMCAT. A BOBCAT is a wild North American cat with a short tail, while a TOMCAT is simply a male domestic cat. These words are easy to spot once you see the -CAT suffix.

For those who like more obscure words, TOCCATA and CANTATA are essential. A TOCCATA is a musical piece designed to show off a performer’s touch and technique, usually on a keyboard. A CANTATA is a medium-length narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment. You also have CANON, which can mean a collection of sacred books or a general law or rule. In music, a CANON is a piece where different voices sing the same melody starting at different times.

Don’t forget the shorter words that fill the gaps. TACT means sensitivity in dealing with others. CANT can mean hypocritical talk or a tilted position. COOT is a type of water bird, but people also use it to describe a grumpy old person. BANC is a legal term referring to the full bench of judges. Using these new york times spelling bee answers will help you reach the Genius level quickly. Keep searching for words like COCOON, COMMA, and CANNOT to finish your list.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the pangrams for the spelling bee answers today? The two pangrams for today are combatant and noncombatant.
  • Does today’s puzzle include any musical terms? Yes, you can find words like toccata, cantata, and canon in today’s list.
  • Is the word ‘banana’ accepted in today’s spelling bee? No, banana is not accepted because it does not contain the center letter C.