Letter Boxed Hints for August 20, 2026
Twelve letters, four sides. Start with the shape of the answer, finish with the words.
This puzzle isn’t published yet. NYT releases new puzzles at midnight in your time zone (Letter Boxed and Spelling Bee at 3 a.m. ET).
How to think about Letter Boxed
Because letters on the same side can’t sit next to each other, long words in Letter Boxed zigzag: consonant, vowel, consonant, each hop crossing the square. Look for the awkward letters first (a lone K, V or X) and ask which words could carry them; everything else tends to fall into place around those.
The most useful structural hint is the joining letter. If you know the first word ends in, say, C, you’re hunting for a word that starts with C and mops up whatever letters remain.
Questions
What are the Letter Boxed rules?
Make words of at least three letters by moving between sides of the square. Consecutive letters cannot come from the same side, and each new word must start with the last letter of the previous one. Use all twelve letters within the par number of words.
What does par mean in Letter Boxed?
Par is the target number of words. NYT’s own solution nearly always uses two words, but any solve within par counts.
When does Letter Boxed reset?
At 3 a.m. Eastern Time, the same as Spelling Bee.
Can I see yesterday’s solution?
Yes. Step back one day with the date arrows; the NYT publishes yesterday’s letters and solution alongside today’s puzzle.