# ContraBee — A love note to Spelling Bee > Daily word puzzle game using NYT Spelling Bee letters, excluding the center. (iPhone/iPad app by Lexi Games LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Lexi Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1734406255) - Category: Games - Price: Free - Rating: 4.00/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 21 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 11.0 · 16 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2024-03-08 - Data updated: 2026-07-05 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549/reviews.md ## What is ContraBee? ContraBee is a complement to each day’s official New York Times Spelling Bee. It uses the same hive as each day’s Spelling Bee, but with a twist: Instead of requiring the center letter, Contra Bee excludes it. You’ll be surprised at how many words you can find if you turn your mind upside down. ## Key features - Daily word puzzles - Uses NYT Spelling Bee letter hive - Excludes center letter - Encourages alternative word finding - Unique puzzle twist ## Recent user reviews (10 of 21) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Another great spelling game *2026-05-03, version 2.1* I love playing ContraBee after I’ve played Spelling Bee. It’s so satisfying to get to use all the words I could have used in Spelling Bee if not for that darn center letter. 🤣 It also helps trigger new words for Spelling Bee. 😃 ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open - STILL *2026-01-16, version 2.1* Can’t understand why this game doesn’t open some days????? New update - as of yesterday, it’s not opening again. It was working great, but now - nothing. Several forced closes haven’t worked, even restarted my phone, but no luck. Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-12-14* New update - as of yesterday, it’s not opening again. It was working great, but now - nothing. Several forced closes haven’t worked, even restarted my phone, but no luck. Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-11-08* Update - it was working great for a few weeks, but now it won’t open, even after a forced close. Can’t understand why this happens when every other app I use works every time. It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 2/5 — Doesn’t always open *2025-10-22* It’s nice when it opens, but lately it’s too unresponsive. I have to force close it several times most days but often can’t get it to launch at all. It’s not really worth keeping if it won’t open. ### 5/5 — Favorite Word Game *2025-06-16, version 2.1* ContraBee is the best compliment to Spelling Bee. I love working through the daily puzzles and often find them more challenging that those on other apps. I find the playing experience very soothing. There are no crazy colors, animations or sounds (thank you!). Developer feedback has been super responsive, and each iteration has made the playing experience even better. ### 5/5 — A fun game for after QB *2025-06-06, version 2.0* Hi- I haven’t had these issues with loading and freezing. Now while I’m doing QB I look for donut words. Sometimes the missing letter makes its QB awesome and others not. ### 1/5 — Memory button *2025-06-05, version 2.0* The new memory button completely wrecks the game. Otherwise it was good! The button becomes activated and I don’t want it too. Not good, needs fixing. ### 1/5 — Too many bugs *2025-05-31, version 2.0* The app really is poorly coded. I eliminates words that I have entered and it accepts. It scores incorrectly. It absolutely provides more frustration than entertainment. I had 25/42 points with 13/16 words. There are no hexagrams. Numerically impossible to get to 42. ### 3/5 — Teething problem Memory button *2025-05-25, version 2.0* The new Memory Button is a problem. I don’t want to use it but somehow it activates. I think am indirectly pressing this button on and off while I’m playing. I can’t tell though as deductions aren’t included in the score card. I do a challenge with my partner each day so know our scores are different but we have the same words. I think the button may be slightly too big. ## Frequently asked questions about ContraBee ### What is ContraBee? ContraBee is a daily word puzzle game that uses the same set of letters as the New York Times Spelling Bee. It offers a unique twist by excluding the mandatory center letter, challenging players to find words in a different way. ### How does ContraBee work? Each day, ContraBee presents a puzzle with seven letters, just like the NYT Spelling Bee. However, players must form words using these letters without including the designated center letter. This encourages a fresh perspective on word discovery. ### Is ContraBee free to play? Yes, ContraBee is a free application. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing for an uninterrupted puzzle-solving experience. ### Who is ContraBee for? This app is designed for word game enthusiasts, particularly those who enjoy the New York Times Spelling Bee. It's for players looking for a fun, daily mental challenge that offers a novel approach to word puzzles. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.1 — 2025-06-15 Memory Challenge Mode subtracts points with every repeated guess, making the game a little more challenging. Toggle it on and off in the How to Play section. ### 2.0 — 2025-05-19 Now includes Memory Challenge Mode! Every repeated guess or peek at the wordlist costs you points. Turn on or off any time. ### 1.0.5 — 2024-09-16 ui improvements and bug fixed. ### 1.0.4 — 2024-09-10 You can now see the puzzle’s daily stats, including word count and number of Hexagrams. ### 1.0.2 — 2024-03-20 Push notification implemented. ## Apps similar to ContraBee | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Spelling Queen Pangrams](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-queen-pangrams/id1591639792) | 4.7 (5,812) | Free | Games | | [Spelling Test Quiz - Word Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-test-quiz-word-game/id1493705133) | 4.6 (4,955) | Free | Games | | [SpellBee - Spelling Words](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellbee-spelling-words/id6504094765) | 4.7 (1,166) | Free | Games | | [Pangram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pangram/id1493066702) | 4.7 (4,186) | Free | Games | | [Wordish: Word Puzzle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordish-word-puzzle/id1659213231) | 3.6 (11) | Free | Games | | [Spelling Word Puzzle - Pangram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-word-puzzle-pangram/id1619800147) | 4.3 (522) | Free | Games | --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-05.*