New York Times NYT Letter Boxed Solution and Answers for May 22, 2026

This is today’s NYT Letter Boxed perfect solution. While today’s puzzle had 1130 different words, you really want to find the two to help you solve the Letter Boxed in two! You can learn the New York Times’ preferred answers by watching the video below, or scrolling just past to see the answers and learn more about this puzzle’s solution. In addition, scroll below to find the other two-word solutions the New York Times won’t tell you about! Don’t forget to subscribe to get daily updates.

Did you figure it out yet? Well, the answers you were looking for in order to solve the puzzle with just two words are COLORFUL and LINKAGE

The sides for today’s New York Times Letter Boxed are ARE, NOF, ICU, and KGL.

COLORFUL is defined as having bright, vivid, or varied colors. It is also defined as lively, interesting, or full of distinctive character. It is also defined as containing strong language or profanity.

LINKAGE is defined as a connection or relationship between things. It is also defined as a system of linked mechanical parts that transmit motion or force. It is also defined as in genetics, the tendency of genes located close together on a chromosome to be inherited together.

For the latest information about the New York Times Letter Boxed game, including tips and strategies, please check Today’s NYT Letter Boxed every day.

In addition, the puzzle actually had 14 additional solutions to do it in just two words. Below is a listing of the other ways to solve the puzzle with just two answers.

COLOURFUL and LINKAGE
CORKAGE and ENGULFING
CORNCAKE and ENGULFING
FECKFUL and LANGUORING
FLANEUR and ROCKING
FLECKING and GIAOUR
FLUORIAN and NECKING
KILOCALORIE and ENGULF
KILOCALORIE and ENGULFING
NECKFUL and LANGUORING
ORIGAN and NECKFUL
ROCKFACE and ENGULFING
UNCLOAKING and GRIEF
UNCLOAKING and GRIEFING

The following are the 11-letter words.

kilocalorie

The following are the 10-letter words.

fangirling – florilegia – genlocking – inelegance – uncloaking – unilingual – cringeling – languoring – necrologue – neurocoele – neurocrine – neurokinin – orolingual – unclinging – unlifelike – unlikening

The following are the 9-letter words.

canceling – cornelian – colouring – colourful – engorging – engulfing – galingale – inclining – ingulfing – knifelike – lilangeni – ringfence – rogaining – uncoiling – uncorking – unkinging – unkinking – unlinking – unlocking – urolagnia – acroleine – aulacogen – elegiacal – geoclinal – leguleian – neologian – neurocoel – oligogene – oligolege – unkinlike – unringing

The following are the 8-letter words.

alienage – aligning – analogue – auguring – calcanei – calflike – clacking – clanging – clangour – clanking – clinging – clinking – cloaking – clocking – clunking – coalface – coloring – colorful – cringing – croaking – crocking – ecocline – elegance – encaging – encoring – engaging – feigning – figuring – figurine – flacking – flailing – flanging – flanking – flecking – flinging – flocking – flouring – flunking – fluorine – fringing – froufrou – furuncle – galangal – griefing – groaning – grueling – guaiacol – gungeing – inurning – enurning – kaoliang – language – lenience – lifelike – lifeline – likening – loangang – lounging – lungeing – oliguria – original – ringneck – rockface – uncaging – ungenial – unliking – corncake – frocking – acauline – acorning – acrolein – augurial – canaling – colorine – crinking – engining – fluorian – galangin – georgina – neolocal – organule – orocline – kinakina – riroriro – unlining

The following are the 7-letter words.

airline – airlock – alanine – alfalfa – aneling – angekok – anginal – aniline – anlagen – cacking – cagoule – calorie – ceiling – cenacle – clangor – cloacal – clueing – clueful – coagula – coaling – cocaine – cocking – coeliac – coifing – coiling – coining – coinage – cologne – corking – corkage – cornual – couloir – rigueur – eclogue – einkorn – elegiac – engorge – enuring – eulogia – faience – failing – fairing – falafel – felafel – felafal – fanlike – fanging – fangirl – fecking – feninga – finance – finking – flaking – flaneur – flounce – fluence – fluking – flulike – frounce – fueling – funking – furling – furnace – gaining – ganging – ganking – gauging – genlock – golfing – gorcock – gorging – gouging – guanaco – guanine – gunlock – gurking – gurning – girning – incline – ingenue – ingoing – inuring – gaoling – kecking – kinging – kinking – knifing – lacking – lairing – languor – ligroin – lingual – linking – linkage – loafing – loaning – locking – lockage – louring – lungful – lunging – lurking – nailing – necking – nunlike – oilcake – oinking – olefine – rifling – ringing – rocking – rogaine – roiling – rouging – runanga – ukulele – ukelele – unalike – uncloak – uniface – kilning – acourie – egirine – airlike – airling – alcogel – aulnage – cananga – canango – kananga – kenanga – crining – feckful – fluorol – fungine – galanga – galinga – galange – galanin – gangril – ginging – girling – goafing – kingrik – kirking – lifeful – lingula – lockful – nacrine – nagaika – neckful – neurine – neurula – niaouli – nigrine – nirling – ogogoro – organal – orignal – orfling – ringoal – rinking – rougine – ruleful – uncling – unclung – unlegal – unliken

The following are the 6-letter words.

eolian – ageing – agnail – ailing – airing – airgun – anagen – analog – angina – anlage – anuria – rugola – caging – kagoul – caking – cancan – cancel – caning – canine – clinal – cloaca – clunge – cockie – celiac – cognac – coking – colour – colugo – coring – corkie – cornel – cornua – courol – cringe – eclair – encage – engage – engine – engulf – enlace – faking – faunal – feline – fening – fiance – fifing – filing – filial – finale – fining – finial – firing – firkin – flange – florin – fringe – frugal – fulfil – fungal – funkia – furcal – gaging – galago – galena – gangue – gaokao – genial – giaour – gieing – gigolo – girlie – goalie – goring – gorgio – gringo – grogan – grunge – guaiac – iguana – inanga – ingulf – inking – inline – inulin – irking – kaikai – kainga – kakuro – kalian – kanaka – kangri – kanuka – kaolin – keirin – kiekie – kingie – koauau – kokako – koroua – koruna – koruru – kouroi – kungfu – kurgan – lagena – langue – langur – lanugo – laogai – launce – leguan – lignin – ligula – ligule – liking – linage – lining – linein – lingua – locale – lockin – loling – lounge – lourie – luging – lunula – lunule – luring – nagana – nigiri – nuance – nuking – nuncle – oclock – oiling – oilcan – oilrig – olefin – olingo – orcein – organa – origin – oriole – orogen – rigour – riling – ringin – rococo – rueing – rueful – ruling – uncage – unclog – uncoil – uncork – ungual – unking – unkink – unlace – unlike – unlink – unlock – urging – urinal – urning – acouri – eoline – aflank – airleg – akakia – alalia – aleing – alfaki – alnage – alogia – aloine – auncel – crinal – funana – fungin – genian – ingine – kinrik – kulang – lackie – nagual – negoce – neinei – neurin – niauli – nunkie – oleine – orgiac – origan – rieing – riegel – ringal – ringie – rougin – rugine – rounce – rungie – runcle – runrig – unline – unrife – unring – unrung – unrule

The following are the 5-letter words.

acorn – again – aging – agile – agogo – ainga – aioli – alack – aleck – alien – align – alike – alula – anele – angel – augur – cacao – cecal – cairn – canal – ceili – ceorl – ecole – clack – clair – clang – clank – cline – cling – clung – clink – cloak – clock – clunk – cocoa – coign – color – corgi – cornu – croak – crock – cruel – crunk – cruor – eking – elfin – enrol – fecal – fakie – fakir – fanal – fango – fauna – feign – fence – final – finca – firie – firni – flack – flail – flair – flake – flank – fleck – fling – flung – flock – flour – fluke – flunk – origo – frock – fugal – fugue – fungi – fungo – furca – furor – galia – ganef – gauge – gecko – genal – genie – genua – gigue – girlf – going – gorge – gouge – grief – grike – groan – groin – gruel – gulag – gunge – knife – iliac – inane – incog – inurn – enurn – iroko – kafir – kalua – kanga – kauri – kefir – kenaf – kiang – kikoi – kilig – kinin – knack – knurl – koala – koine – kriol – kugel – kukri – kulak – kulan – kulfi – lagan – lanai – lance – legal – liana – liane – liege – liken – lilac – linac – linen – linga – lingo – local – logan – logia – login – lunge – lungi – nakfa – nance – ngaio – niece – oaken – oking – okrug – oligo – organ – oriel – ounce – rifle – rigor – rogan – rogue – rouge – ugali – unagi – uncle – unrig – urial – urine – fleur – kanal – lauan – acene – acock – acoel – afanc – agene – agila – agrin – akoia – alala – aloin – alurk – augen – crine – crink – fluor – genin – genio – gilia – ginga – ginge – kiaki – knule – lacka – likin – naieo – nefie – negri – nelia – ngaka – ngege – nifle – nigua – nikau – okole – olein – ourie – orful – orgia – rince – runce – rigol – ringe – rorie – roake – rolag – roleo – ruana – rugal – unleg

The following are the 4-letter words.

acai – acne – agal – agin – agio – agog – ague – aiga – akin – alec – aloe – anal – lang – caca – cack – ceca – cafe – cage – cake – calf – cane – caul – ceil – clag – clan – clef – cleg – clog – clou – clue – coal – coca – cock – coco – coif – coil – coin – coir – coke – cola – kola – cole – corf – cork – corn – cour – croc – coli – ecru – eina – elan – euro – face – fail – fain – fair – fake – fale – fane – fang – faun – feck – felo – feng – fief – fife – file – filo – fine – fink – firn – flag – flak – flan – floc – floe – flog – flor – flue – frig – froe – frog – frug – fuel – fufu – fugu – funk – furl – gaga – gage – gain – gack – gala – gale – gang – gank – gaur – gena – gene – genu – ging – gink – girl – giro – goal – gogo – golf – gori – goke – grig – grin – grog – grok – guac – guan – gulf – gali – gunk – gurk – gurn – girn – guru – ilia – inca – inro – alia – irie – alai – gaol – kagu – kaka – kaki – kala – kale – kail – kali – kana – keck – kiln – kilo – kina – kine – king – kink – kirk – knag – knur – koan – koel – kolo – kori – koro – koru – kuku – kula – kuna – kune – kung – kuri – kuru – lace – lack – lain – lair – lake – lane – lank – leke – lief – lien – lieu – life – like – lilo – line – ling – link – loaf – loan – lock – loco – loge – logo – loin – lorn – lour – luau – luge – lulu – luna – lune – lung – lunk – lurk – naga – naif – nail – nana – nang – naoi – neck – nene – nine – nuke – nala – nunu – nuoc – oink – okie – olio – orca – orfe – orle – rial – riel – rife – rile – ring – rung – rink – roan – rock – roil – roko – role – roue – rule – rune – oeil – ulna – unco – urge – gien – guna – kcal – nage – oleo – aine – alan – alce – alif – auge – aula – aune – crin – furo – goaf – lago – lego – loke – lola – lolo – nace – naik – nain – naio – naka – nief – nife – nirl – nurl – nunk – orne – ourn – kena – rief – roke – roak – rouf – rouk – ruga – ruru – unio

The following are the 3-letter words.

ace – ack – aga – age – ago – ail – air – ale – alu – ana – ani – auk – gua – can – cel – lai – cog – col – cor – oil – cri – cru – eco – ego – eke – elf – fan – fen – feu – fie – fig – fin – fir – flu – fro – fug – fun – fur – gag – gak – gal – geg – gel – gen – geo – gie – gig – gin – gnu – gun – gur – ink – irk – kai – keg – ken – kia – kif – kef – kin – koa – koi – lac – lag – leg – lei – lek – leu – lie – lig – loa – log – lol – lor – lug – lur – our – nag – nai – nan – nef – neg – nek – nil – nun – oaf – oak – oca – oik – oka – oke – ole – orc – orf – ria – rig – roc – roe – rua – rue – rug – run – uke – ulu – uni – urn – kir – gai – org – aie – agi – ake – alc – lun – nao – neu – nif – nug – nie – oga – ogi – ogo – ola – ork – orl – rin – rik – roa – rio