Spelling Bee ranks: points for Genius and Queen Bee
Every Spelling Bee rank is a share of the day's maximum score. Today's puzzle has 339 points, so here is exactly what each rank takes today.
Today's rank points (October 16)
| Rank | Share | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0% | 0 |
| Good Start | 2% | 7 |
| Moving Up | 5% | 17 |
| Good | 8% | 27 |
| Solid | 15% | 51 |
| Nice | 25% | 85 |
| Great | 40% | 136 |
| Amazing | 50% | 170 |
| Genius | 70% | 237 |
| Queen Bee | 100% | 339 |
What each rank means
Beginner0%
Where every puzzle starts, at 0 points.
Good Start2%
Your first word or two.
Moving Up5%
A handful of short words.
Good8%
8% of the points.
Solid15%
15% of the points.
Nice25%
A quarter of the points: the puzzle is opening up.
Great40%
Long words and families of words are coming.
Amazing50%
Half the points. Genius is in sight.
Genius70%
70% of all points: the goal most players play for.
Queen Bee100%
Every single word. A hidden rank that shows only when you get there.
How Spelling Bee scoring works
A four-letter word scores 1 point. Longer words score 1 point per letter, so a six-letter word is worth 6. A pangram, a word using all seven letters, earns its length plus a 7-point bonus. Add up every answer and you have the day's maximum, which is the number all ranks are based on.
Because big puzzles have more points, Genius can take 100 points one day and 250 the next. The fastest way up is long words and pangrams: one ten-letter pangram is worth 17 points, the same as 17 four-letter words. Our tips guide has more on that, and the word tracker shows how far you are from the next rank.
Questions and answers
How many points is Genius in Spelling Bee?
Genius is 70% of the total points, so it changes every day. On October 16 the puzzle has 339 points and Genius takes 237.
What is Queen Bee?
Queen Bee is the top rank: you found every word in the puzzle. It does not appear on the rank bar until you reach it.
How are the rank thresholds rounded?
Each rank is a fixed share of the maximum score, rounded to the nearest whole point. That is why Genius on a 151-point day is 106 points.
What are the levels in Spelling Bee?
The levels, or rankings, are Beginner, Good Start, Moving Up, Good, Solid, Nice, Great, Amazing and Genius, plus Queen Bee for finding every word. Each level is a fixed share of the day's maximum score.
How many ranks are there?
Nine you can see, from Beginner to Genius, plus the hidden Queen Bee rank for finding every word.