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NYT Spelling Bee

September 17, 2026

M
A
F
I
L
O
Y

Puzzle Statistics

36
Total Words
124
Total Points
1
Pangrams
7
Letters

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About This Puzzle

Welcome to the complete solution guide for the New York Times Spelling Bee puzzle from September 17, 2026! This puzzle challenges you to find 36 words using the letters MAFILOY, with M as the center letter that must appear in every word.

The Spelling Bee is a daily word puzzle where players create words using a set of 7 unique letters arranged in a honeycomb pattern. The center letter must be included in every word, and each word must be at least 4 letters long. This puzzle contains 1 pangrams - special words that use all 7 letters.

Looking for today's answers? Our complete solution reveals all words organized by length, with pangrams highlighted. The total possible score for this puzzle is 124 points.

🔤 Tips & Strategies for Solving Spelling Bee

1. Start with the Center Letter

Remember that the center letter (M) must appear in every word. Start by brainstorming words that prominently feature this letter.

2. Look for Common Endings

Try adding common suffixes like -ING, -ED, -ER, -LY to your base words. Many puzzles include multiple forms of the same root word.

3. Hunt for Pangrams

Pangrams use all 7 letters and give bonus points. They're often longer, compound words, or less common terms. Don't give up on finding all 1 pangrams!

4. Think of Word Families

If you find one word, think of related words. For example, if you find "BOOK", look for "BOOKS", "BOOKED", "BOOKING".

5. Use Letter Frequency

Some letters appear more frequently than others. Build around common letters and don't forget about less obvious combinations.

All 36 Answers (124 Points)

4-Letter Words (19)

AMMO
AMYL
FILM
FOAM
IMAM
LAMA
LIMA
LIMO
LOAM
LOOM
MAIL
MAIM
MALL
MAMA
MAYO
MIFF
MILL
MOIL
MOLL

5-Letter Words (10)

FILMY
FOAMY
LLAMA
LOAMY
MAFIA
MAMMA
MOLLY
MOMMA
MOMMY
MOOLA

6-Letter Words (3)

FAMILY
MAMMAL
MAYFLY

7-Letter Words (2)

FOAMILY 🌟
MOLLIFY

8-Letter Words (2)

FAMILIAL
FLIMFLAM