Today’s NYT Spelling Bee (12 December 2025) asks players to build words of at least four letters that always include the center letter A. The hive mixes three vowels (A, I, O) with punchy consonants like Z and G, so answers range from easy 4-letter finds to surprising long forms that tuck several letters together.
About today’s puzzle
The center letter A is required in every entry, which steers attempts toward vowel-rich patterns. With three vowels and tougher consonants Z and G, the hive feels simultaneously open for short vowel plays and restrictive when chasing rare long words. Players who favor suffixes and repeated letters find extra mileage here.
NYT Spelling Bee Words and Answers: 12 December 2025
Here’s a best-effort list of words that fit today’s rules. Keep in mind: some are rare or unusual, so the official NYT list may vary.
- AGAIN
- AGING
- AGOG
- AGONIZING
- AILING
- AIOLI
- ALGA
- ALGAL
- ALIGN
- ALIGNING
- ALONG
- ANAL
- ANALOG
- ANALOGIZING
- ANGINA
- ANGLING
- ANION
- ANNAL
- ANON
- GAGA
- GAGGIN
- LAGGING
- LAGOON
- LAIN
- LANAI
- LANOLIN
- LAZING
- LLANO
- LOAN
- LOANING
- ZINNIA
- ZONAL
Pangram of the day
"Analogizing" is the pangram of the day because it contains all seven hive letters (A, N, I, G, Z, L, O) in one playable word while still meeting the four-letter minimum and including center A. It works by combining the root analog- with the productive verb-forming suffix -izing, which nicely brings in the uncommon Z and rounds out the consonant mix — a satisfying, long hit for this hive.
Quick tactics for any puzzle
- Start with the center letter
- Play with prefixes and suffixes
- Anagram your discoveries
- Use repeated letters
- Begin with easy 4-letter words
Final thoughts
Nice work working through the hive — these letter sets reward curiosity and patient anagramming. Share how many words you found today and whether you spotted the pangram analogizing; We’d love to hear your favorites and tricky discoveries!
Discussion