The New York Times Spelling Bee for December 15, 2025 offers a playful but tricky mix of letters that rewards patience. As always, every valid word must be at least four letters long and include the center letter. Today’s hive leans heavily on repeating consonants and familiar word endings, making it feel approachable at first, then surprisingly deep as longer words start to emerge.
About today’s puzzle
With I locked in the center, today’s puzzle encourages lots of -ING endings and repeated letters. The mix of consonants like G, W, and N keeps things energetic, while vowels A and U open up flexibility. Overall, the hive feels open once you spot the pattern, but restrictive if you miss how often letters can repeat.
NYT Spelling Bee Words and Answers: December 15, 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
- angina
- awing
- awning
- fanning
- fawning
- fining
- fungi
- gaining
- gunning
- iguana
- winging
- winning
- wagging
- wigwag
Pangram of the day
Today’s standout word is GUFFAWING. It works perfectly because it uses every letter in the hive while still feeling like a natural, expressive word. The repeated Gs and Fs pair smoothly with the central I, and the -ING ending ties everything together. It’s the kind of pangram that feels earned rather than forced.
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
December 15’s Spelling Bee is a great reminder that repetition is your friend. Once you lean into looping letters and familiar endings, the board opens up nicely. How many words did you find—and did GUFFAWING jump out early or late for you?
Discussion