Welcome to the complete solution guide for the New York Times Spelling Bee puzzle from January 16, 2026! This puzzle challenges you to find 45 words using the letters CAEFILM, with C as the center letter that must appear in every word.
The Spelling Bee is a daily word puzzle where players create words using a set of 7 unique letters arranged in a honeycomb pattern. The center letter must be included in every word, and each word must be at least 4 letters long. This puzzle contains 1 pangrams - special words that use all 7 letters.
Looking for today's answers? Our complete solution reveals all words organized by length, with pangrams highlighted. The total possible score for this puzzle is 178 points.
Remember that the center letter (C) must appear in every word. Start by brainstorming words that prominently feature this letter.
Try adding common suffixes like -ING, -ED, -ER, -LY to your base words. Many puzzles include multiple forms of the same root word.
Pangrams use all 7 letters and give bonus points. They're often longer, compound words, or less common terms. Don't give up on finding all 1 pangrams!
If you find one word, think of related words. For example, if you find "BOOK", look for "BOOKS", "BOOKED", "BOOKING".
Some letters appear more frequently than others. Build around common letters and don't forget about less obvious combinations.