Spelling Bee Ranks Explained: Points, Genius and Queen Bee
Every Spelling Bee rank from Beginner to Queen Bee, how words are scored, what a pangram bonus is worth, and what separates Genius from Queen Bee.
By Amit Yadav · Published October 25, 2026
Spelling Bee ranks are a share of the day’s total points. Genius means you have reached 70% of them, and Queen Bee means you have found every word, which is 100%. The points are set by word length, with a bonus for pangrams.
The ranks, in order
There are ten ranks. Each one is a percentage of the total points available that day, so the same rank needs more points on a big puzzle and fewer on a small one.
| Rank | Share of the day’s points |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 0% |
| Good Start | 2% |
| Moving Up | 5% |
| Good | 8% |
| Solid | 15% |
| Nice | 25% |
| Great | 40% |
| Amazing | 50% |
| Genius | 70% |
| Queen Bee | 100% |
The game shows your rank and score as you play, so you never need to do the arithmetic. The lower ranks arrive quickly. The harder climb is from Great upward, once the common words are gone.
How points work
Words must be at least four letters long and must include the center letter. Letters can be reused within a word.
- A four-letter word scores 1 point.
- A longer word scores 1 point per letter, so a five-letter word is 5 points and a seven-letter word is 7.
- A pangram, which uses all seven letters at least once, earns a 7-point bonus on top of its length score.
That jump from 1 point to 5 points between four and five letters is why long words matter so much. A single five-letter word is worth five four-letter words. It also explains why a puzzle with a long pangram or several long words has a higher total, and so a higher Genius bar.
Genius versus Queen Bee
Genius is the usual target. At 70% of the points you can skip the obscure words.
Queen Bee is 100% of the points: every word on the game’s list, including the unusual ones. The editors choose the list, so some real words are left out (proper nouns, hyphenated words, terms they consider obscure or offensive).
If you are working toward either one, our Spelling Bee strategy guide covers the search techniques.
Related questions
Do wrong guesses cost points?
No. Rejected words cost nothing, so you can try words freely.
Does a longer word always help more?
Generally, yes. Length is the main source of points, and a pangram adds a bonus on top. A long word that is not on the game’s list scores nothing.
Why does the same rank take different points on different days?
Because ranks are percentages of that day’s total, and the total changes with the letters. Our Spelling Bee hints page gives you the day’s word count so you can see how big the puzzle is.
Is Blossom scored the same way?
Not quite. Blossom also rewards long words and pangrams, but it caps you at twelve words. We compare the two in Blossom vs Spelling Bee.
Word Game Clues is an independent hint site and is not affiliated with The New York Times or any of the game publishers mentioned here.
Keep playing
Same spoiler-safe format, for every daily puzzle we cover.