What Time Does the NYT Spelling Bee Reset? (Every US Time Zone)

The NYT Spelling Bee resets at 3:00 a.m. Eastern. See the reset time in Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska and Hawaii, plus when yesterday's answers appear.

Published · Updated · 2 min read
What Time Does the NYT Spelling Bee Reset? (Every US Time Zone)

Key takeaways

  • The NYT Spelling Bee resets at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time every day.
  • That's midnight Pacific, 1:00 a.m. Mountain and 2:00 a.m. Central.
  • The reset follows Eastern Time, so it shifts with daylight saving time automatically.
  • Yesterday's full answer list appears once the new puzzle is out.

If you’ve ever finished the Spelling Bee late at night and wondered when the new one drops, here’s the answer for every US time zone, plus what changes at reset time.

The answer

The NYT Spelling Bee resets at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time every day. That’s midnight on the West Coast, which is why many Pacific players see the new puzzle right at midnight.

Reset time in every US time zone

Time zone Reset time
Eastern (New York, Atlanta, Miami) 3:00 a.m.
Central (Chicago, Dallas, Houston) 2:00 a.m.
Mountain (Denver, Salt Lake City) 1:00 a.m.
Arizona (most of the state) Midnight in summer, 1:00 a.m. in winter
Pacific (Los Angeles, Seattle) Midnight
Alaska (Anchorage) 11:00 p.m. the previous day
Hawaii (Honolulu) 9:00 p.m. in summer, 10:00 p.m. in winter, the previous day

Arizona and Hawaii don’t use daylight saving time, so their reset time moves by an hour twice a year. Everywhere else, the local reset time stays the same year-round because the puzzle follows Eastern Time.

What happens at reset

  • A new hive appears with a new center letter and six new outer letters.
  • Your progress on the old puzzle closes. If you were one word from Genius, it’s gone.
  • Yesterday’s answers become available in the game, and on our yesterday’s answers page.
  • Today’s answers page updates. Ours refreshes automatically a few minutes after 3:00 a.m. Eastern: today’s Spelling Bee answers.

Tips for late-night players

  • Set a reminder an hour before reset if you tend to leave the last few words until bedtime.
  • On the West Coast, you can play the new puzzle at midnight and have the whole day to come back to it.
  • Finishing late is fine. The rank you reach before reset is what counts for your own streak.

Does our game reset at the same time?

Our own daily board changes at midnight Eastern Time. Unlimited mode never resets because every puzzle is brand new. If you want more after the NYT puzzle closes, just start an unlimited game.

Quick recap

New puzzle at 3:00 a.m. Eastern, midnight Pacific. Yesterday’s answers go up at the same moment. If you’re often racing the clock, the 10-minute daily routine helps you reach Genius earlier in the day.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the new Spelling Bee come out?

3:00 a.m. Eastern Time, which is midnight Pacific Time.

Does the Spelling Bee reset at midnight?

Only on the West Coast. The reset is 3:00 a.m. Eastern, which is midnight Pacific.

When are yesterday's Spelling Bee answers available?

As soon as the new puzzle goes live at 3:00 a.m. Eastern. Our yesterday's answers page updates a few minutes later.

Put it into practiceTry these ideas on a fresh hive. Unlimited puzzles, no login.
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Written by 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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