As 2025 nears an end, we wanted to see which of the 5,966 distinct words in this year’s Spelling Bee puzzles stumped players the most.
Based on millions of cumulative games played, we found that the hardest word of the year was pellicle, found by just 18 percent of Spelling Bee Buddy users, while pretty much everyone found the easiest words: jack and pink.
These percentages are probably higher than they would be for all Spelling Bee players. The data is based on users of Spelling Bee Buddy, a tool that shows hints and statistics for each word as you play Spelling Bee. Users of the tool are among the puzzle’s most dedicated solvers.
Other highlights from this year’s puzzles:
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The easiest pangram of 2025 was flapping, found by 99 percent of players.
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The hardest pangram was philhellenic, which means loving Greek culture and was found by 24 percent of players.
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The longest pangrams had 13 letters, including dillydallying, attainability and climactically.
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The most common word was noon. If you ever feel stuck, keep an eye out for this handy word, which showed up in 10 percent of puzzles.
That’s enough dillydallying. The hardest words of 2025 below range from biology terms to Shakespearean motifs to unusual musical instruments. How many did you find?
The 10 Hardest Spelling Bee Words
This data is based on visitors to Spelling Bee Buddy, and covers Jan. 1 to Dec. 10.
Here are the meanings of the 10 hardest words.
1. Pellicle — a thin skin or film.
I’ll be looking around for something to tell me how to finish making this vat of kombucha my brother started in my kitchen two weeks ago before leaving for work in Asia. It’s ready for straining and bottling and for me to make another batch with the pellicle its “mother” left behind. — You Don’t Need a Recipe! (Oct. 17, 2018)
2. Lacteal — relating to, or consisting of, milk.
The standard of identity for milk states right off the bat that milk is “the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows.” — The Fake Meat War (July 25, 2019)
3. Hamartia — a tragic flaw.
Thompson told me that Shakespeare shows you what happens at the moment you become your own worst enemy, a vertiginous moment Aristotle called “hamartia,” or missing the mark (an archery expression). It is, he said, “a dangerous place to be.” — Going After That Pound of Flesh (April 2, 2022)
4. Cicely — a perennial herb
The razor clams, a must-try, are served raw, accompanied by a vinaigrette and shallot sauce, and sprinkled with yellow dandelion and white sweet cicely blossoms. — In the Faroe Islands, Art, Food and Fashion Take a Cue From Nature (Aug. 30, 2023)
5. Oppugning and 7. Oppugn — to oppose an argument.
Echo’s obsession with words — how about “clamjamfry,” “rataplan,” “phthsis,” “deodand”— may be fanciful. But “Eleemosynary,” which means charitable and forgiving, has no place in the “bijouterie” (“jewel collection”) of theater. Mr. Blessing’s play is herewith oppugned. But Scrabble players, take notes. — THEATER; Child With a Way With Words, Maybe (April 25, 1999)
6. Bibelot — a trinket.
Well apprised of this growing trend, associated with the notion of shelf wealth, Assouline is intent on expanding its library services and on making incursions into the lifestyle arena, such as home fragrances and pricey bibelots. — Meet the Birkin Bag of the Book World: Collectible, Covetable and Priced to Match (Sept. 21, 2024)
8. Biennia — periods of two years.
Given the complications in working with data from multiple sectors and applying policy perspectives to this effort, the OUS has completed the state’s reports for the past three biennia. — Creating the Infrastructure to Develop a Culturally Competent Educator Leadership Workforce (May 12, 2004)
9. Melodeon — a small keyboard organ.
Everyone sings, reluctantly or not, and surprise instruments pop up everywhere: Is that a melodeon on the window seat? — ‘Cult of Love’ Review: We Wish You a Wretched Christmas (Dec. 12, 2024)
10. Tommyrot — nonsense.
Nevertheless, according to Orfield, Microsoft’s claim is bunkum. Tommyrot. Poppycock with an average flapdoodle reading of +10 million fiddle faddles. — Could I Survive the ‘Quietest Place on Earth’? (Nov. 23, 2022)
The 10 Easiest Spelling Bee Words
Each morning, you can see which of the day’s Spelling Bee words are stumping the hive mind (without spoilers!), and track your remaining words, by visiting Spelling Bee Buddy.
Eve Washington creates interactive articles, tools and quizzes for The Upshot.
The post The Hardest and Easiest Spelling Bee Words of 2025 appeared first on New York Times.
