Spelling Bee Word Endings Cheat Sheet: -ING, -ED, -ER and More

Most new players hunt for words one at a time. Experienced players hunt in families. Find one root word, add an ending, and you often get two or three more answers for free. Here’s every ending worth knowing, what letters to look for, and how to use them.

The quick version

Before you type anything, check which endings the hive can build. If you see I, N and G, every verb is now worth a second look. If you see E and D, the same goes for the past tense. That one check can add 20 or more points to an average game.

The big three

-ING

Look for: I, N, G in the hive. Why it matters: -ING turns verbs into 5-, 6- and 7-letter words, which score 1 point per letter. Example: With the letters D, I, N, G, E, R, A you get READING, DREADING, ENDEARING and the pangram REGARDING, which uses all seven letters (repeating R and G is allowed).

-ED

Look for: E and D. Why it matters: Regular past tenses are everywhere: PLANTED, ROTTED, FADED. Watch out: Some puzzles have E and D but no good verbs. Don’t force it.

-ER

Look for: E and R. Why it matters: -ER makes both comparisons (TALLER, DARKER) and people or things that do something (TRADER, PRINTER).

Other endings that pay off

Ending	Letters needed	Examples
-LY	L, Y	NEATLY, OILY, TIDILY
-ION	I, O, N	NATION, LOTION, ACTION
-TION	T, I, O, N	NOTION, POTION, RATION
-ABLE	A, B, L, E	TABLE, ABLE, CAPABLE
-IC	I, C	TONIC, ATTIC, CLINIC
-AL	A, L	TOTAL, NATAL, LOCAL
-EN	E, N	EATEN, OPEN, WIDEN
-ITY	I, T, Y	CITY, PITY, ENTITY

Endings and the center letter

Here’s the catch: the ending only helps if the word still uses the center letter. If the center letter is part of the ending (for example G for -ING), every -ING word automatically qualifies, and the puzzle is usually generous. If the center letter is elsewhere, you need a root word that contains it.

A good habit: when you find any word, ask “can this take an ending?” If you just entered PAINT and the hive also has E and D, try PAINTED. If it has E and R, try PAINTER.

Beginnings matter too

Prefixes work the same way, just at the front:

• RE- (R, E): REDO, RETAKE, REPAINT
• UN- (U, N): UNTIE, UNDO, UNLOAD
• IN- (I, N): INTO, INLET, INDENT
• DE- (D, E): DECODE, DETAIL, DEPLOY

Using endings to find the pangram

The pangram has to use all seven letters, and endings give you a head start because they use two or three of them at once. If the hive has I, N and G, try putting -ING at the end and building the other four letters in front. That’s the core of our 5-step pangram method.

Practice tip

Open unlimited mode and play three boards in a row where your only goal is ending families. Every time you enter a word, try to extend it. After a week it becomes automatic. When you’re done, check what you missed in the Spelling Bee solver.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most useful ending in Spelling Bee?

-ING and -ED are the most useful when their letters are in the hive, because almost any verb can take them. -ER is a close third.

Can I add S to make plurals in Spelling Bee?

No. The NYT Spelling Bee never includes the letter S, so plurals aren't possible.

Do word endings help find the pangram?

Yes. Many pangrams end in -ING, -ED, -ER or -ION. Spot those letters in the hive and try building backward from the ending.

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Written by Richard Elson Editor, Spell Bee Free

Richard Elson edits Spell Bee Free and writes its strategy guides. He plays the daily Spelling Bee every morning, tests every guide against real puzzles from the site's answer archive, and keeps the word list and solver up to date. His guides are written for everyday players: clear rules, worked examples and habits that get you to Genius without spoiling the fun.

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