On December 31, 2025, the New York Times Spelling Bee offers a compact but clever challenge. As always, every accepted word must be at least four letters long and include the center letter. Today’s hive mixes friendly vowels with punchy consonants, making it feel approachable at first glance while still hiding a few sneaky finds.

About today’s puzzle

With T sitting in the center, this puzzle leans on smooth vowel connections from A, O, and U, balanced by firmer letters like F, M, and C. The grid feels open early on, but longer words demand careful recycling of letters rather than easy expansions.

NYT Spelling Bee Words and Answers: 31 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.

  • fact
  • taco
  • coat
  • coact
  • facto
  • taut
  • tofu
  • atom
  • tact
  • tomcat
  • cutout

Pangram of the day

FACTOTUM is the standout because it cleverly weaves together every letter in today’s hive while still sounding natural. It works by looping back on T and O, then pulling in F, A, C, U, and M without wasted extras. Beyond scoring well, it’s a fun word meaning someone who does many different tasks, which fits the puzzle-solving spirit perfectly. It feels especially satisfying to spot after exhausting shorter combinations.

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’s final puzzle strikes a nice balance between comfort and challenge. Whether you chased four-letter basics or hunted the big word, it’s a pleasant way to close the year. Share your word count, or say if you spotted the pangram early.