If you’ve ever played the New York Times Spelling Bee, you know how satisfying it feels to find that one word hiding in plain sight.

About today’s puzzle

Center letter I anchors this hive surrounded by V, T, B, R, A, N. The mix leans consonant-heavy but the single vowel gives breathing room. Expect many four- and five-letter hits; the puzzle felt moderately open and rewarded chaining prefixes and endings.

NYT Spelling Bee Answers: November 12, 2025

Here’s a best-effort list of words that fit today’s rules. Keep in mind that some are rare or unusual, so the official NYT list may vary.

  • rant
  • variant
  • trivia
  • tibia
  • brain
  • train
  • rain
  • vain
  • rani
  • taint

Pangram of the day

“Vibrant” is our pangram of the day because it uses every letter in the hive: V, I, B, R, A, N, T. It’s a tidy, common English adjective, so it’s a satisfying find compared with obscure multi-letter options. The word neatly demonstrates how a single vowel (I) can enable many stems and endings; once you spot the V–B–R cluster you can often build shorter words around it.

Quick tactics for any puzzle

Start with the center letter

Since every word must include it, try building short “roots” with that letter first, then expand.

Play with prefixes and suffixes

Look for common starters (like re-, pre-, tri-) and endings (like -er, -ry, -ing). These patterns often unlock multiple words.

Anagram your discoveries

Once you’ve found a word, shuffle its letters around — you’ll often uncover two or three more.

Use repeated letters

Remember, the same letter can appear more than once. Doubling letters opens up words you might otherwise overlook.

Hunt for pangrams

Try to use all seven letters at least once. Pangrams aren’t always easy, but when you find one, it feels like striking gold.

Habits to sharpen your skills

  • Begin with easy 4-letter words to get your brain moving.
  • Rotate vowels and consonants through different combinations to see what “clicks.”
  • Step away and return later — fresh eyes will catch words you missed.

Optional tools if you want extra help

Pen and paper

 Writing the letters down or sketching patterns can reveal hidden words.

Word-finding apps

Great for study or practice, but use sparingly if you want to keep the challenge.

Personal word journal

Track words you miss often — over time, you’ll train yourself to recognize them quickly.

Final thoughts

Nice work tackling November 12’s hive — it rewards patience and a keen eye for stems. Tell us how many words you found, whether you spotted the pangram, and any unusual words that surprised you.