All 30 valid words for the NYT Spelling Bee. Center letter: C.
30
Total Words
152
Max Points
106
Genius Score
C
Center Letter
⭐ Today’s Pangram
FANCIFUL
Uses all 7 letters — worth 15 points
The NYT Spelling Bee for June 29, 2026 was a moderately challenging puzzle, with 30 valid words built entirely around the center letter C — which must appear in every answer.
With 30 valid words, this puzzle sat close to the typical range, rewarding players who systematically worked through every letter combination. The outer letters were A, F, I, L, N, U, and the longest non-pangram word was CLINICIAN — worth 9 points. Reaching Genius required 106 points out of a possible 152; see how this compares in the full answers archive.
The pangram FANCIFUL used all 7 letters and was worth 15 points — the single highest-scoring word in the puzzle. Players who consistently find pangrams like this tend to have deep familiarity with Latin and Greek word roots; the vocabulary books on our Books & Gear page are specifically chosen to build that foundation.
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All 30 Words — Sorted by Length
9 Letters2 words
CLINICIAN9
FINANCIAL9
8 Letters2 words
CLINICAL8
FANCIFUL ★ 15
7 Letters2 words
CALCULI7
CANNULA7
6 Letters9 words
ACACIA6
CANCAN6
CLINIC6
FACIAL6
FANFIC6
LACUNA6
LAICAL6
NIACIN6
UNCUFF6
5 Letters7 words
CALLA5
CANAL5
CANNA5
CILIA5
CLIFF5
ILIAC5
LILAC5
4 Letters8 words
ACAI1
CALF1
CALL1
CAUL1
CLAN1
CUFF1
CULL1
LAIC1
Pangram ★ — uses all 7 lettersHigh Value (8+ pts)StandardC= required center letter
Scroll to see all 30 words
Miss Words Like These Every Week?
The players who find CLINICIAN and FINANCIAL consistently know their Latin and Greek roots. These books teach the exact system that unlocks words like FANCIFUL before you ever see the puzzle.
The NYT Spelling Bee for June 29, 2026 had 30 valid words, within the typical range for NYT Spelling Bee puzzles. The center letter was C, the pangram was FANCIFUL (worth 15 points), and the maximum score was 152 points. Genius required 106 points. The longest word was CLINICIAN at 9 points.
The pangram for June 29, 2026 was FANCIFUL. A pangram uses all 7 letters of the puzzle at least once — in this case A, C, F, I, L, N, U — and earns a 7-point bonus on top of its length score, making FANCIFUL worth 15 points total. Finding the pangram is the fastest way to jump from Amazing to Genius in a single word.
The June 29, 2026 Spelling Bee had 30 valid words, which is within the typical range for NYT Spelling Bee puzzles. The word list ranged from 4-letter words worth 1 point each to 9-letter words. All 30 words contain the center letter C and use only the 7 letters A, C, F, I, L, N, U. Words must be at least 4 letters long and may reuse any letter.
The Genius threshold for June 29, 2026 was 106 points — exactly 70% of the maximum score of 152. The NYT scoring tiers work as follows: Beginner starts at 4 points, Amazing requires roughly 76 points (50% of max), and Genius requires 106 points (70% of max). Queen Bee requires finding all 30 words for the maximum 152 points. Most competitive solvers aim for Genius; Queen Bee is reserved for completionists.
The 7 letters for the June 29, 2026 Spelling Bee were A, C, F, I, L, N, U. The center letter — C — must appear in every valid word. The outer letters were A, F, I, L, N, U. Every valid word must be at least 4 letters, use only these 7 letters (repeats allowed), and appear in a standard dictionary. Proper nouns, hyphenated words, and obscure terms are excluded.
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