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NYT Letter Boxed hints & answers: Friday, September 18, 2026

Updated: Friday, September 18, 2026 · Hints reviewed by Omer Liban · New puzzle daily at 3am US Eastern Time.

This page has every level of help for the NYT Letter Boxed puzzle of Friday, September 18, 2026: 2 spoiler-free hint tiers that narrow things down step by step, followed by the complete answers with explanations — each behind its own tap-to-reveal card.

Chasing the two-word solve? Check today's board facts first, then reveal word shapes, the first word, and finally the official solution.

How Letter Boxed works: twelve letters sit around a square, three per side. Build words where consecutive letters never come from the same side, each word starts with the previous word's last letter, and all twelve letters get used.

Letter Boxed hints (September 18, 2026)

1Today's board
  • The four sides are: OED · KTB · CPA · NUI.
  • The official NYT solution uses 2 words.
2Word shapes
  • Word 1: 10 letters, starting with “K”.
  • Word 2: 5 letters, starting with “T”.

Letter Boxed answers — September 18, 2026

★The first word
  • KNOCKABOUT
★Today's full Letter Boxed solution, explained
  • The official pairing is: KNOCKABOUT → TEPID.
  • Other valid solutions exist — this is the NYT's own pairing.

Next in today's routine: Mini → · every game's answers on one page. New puzzle daily at 3am US Eastern Time. Bookmark this page for tomorrow's hints. Or play Letter Boxed on the official site.

More of today's puzzles

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Letter Boxed — common questions

What are the rules of Letter Boxed?

Build words using the twelve letters around the square. Consecutive letters can't come from the same side, each new word starts with the previous word's last letter, and you must use every letter at least once.

What does the par number mean in Letter Boxed?

The 'try to solve in X words' target is that day's par. The NYT always constructs the puzzle so an elegant two-word solution exists, even when par is higher.

Can letters be reused in Letter Boxed?

Yes — letters may be reused across words and within words. The only requirements are the no-same-side rule and covering all twelve letters by the end.

Previous Letter Boxed puzzles

Full Letter Boxed archive (47 puzzles) → · How to play Letter Boxed (two-word thinking) →