Skip to content
RiddleNook
Menu
Every tool runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device.

Word finder

Enter the letters on your rack, and optionally a letter or pattern on the board to play through, to see every word you can make ranked by tile score, with blanks supported.

Usually 7 tiles, up to 15 for bigger boards. Type ? for a blank tile (up to 2); blanks score 0.

Letters on the board (optional)

Letters already on the board that your word plays through. They don't come from your rack, but they count toward the score.

Sort by
Loading the word list…
  • Nothing is uploaded
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Works on phone and desktop

How to find the best word for your rack

  1. 1

    Type the tiles on your rack, usually seven. Use a ? for each blank tile.

  2. 2

    If your word has to play through letters already on the board, add them as a start, an end, or letters it must contain, such as ING.

  3. 3

    Read the list, highest tile score first. Words that use every tile on your rack are listed on their own.

  4. 4

    Sort by score, length or A–Z, and copy the list if you want to keep it.

Features

  • Ranked by tile score

    Classic English letter values, from 1 for E or S to 10 for Q and Z. Blanks count as 0.

  • All seven tiles flagged

    Words that use your whole rack get their own list, since many games give a bonus for them.

  • Plays through the board

    Add letters already on the board, at the start, the end or in the middle, and they are used for free.

  • Private and offline

    Everything runs in your browser once the word list has loaded. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.

How tile scores work

Tile-based word games give each letter a value: common letters are worth little, rare ones a lot. The finder uses the classic English values below. A word's score is the sum of its letters, and a blank, which can stand for any letter, is worth nothing. On a real board, premium squares and bonuses can double or triple a letter or a whole word, so a short word on the right square can beat a long one; the finder ranks words by their letter score so you can weigh that up yourself.

PointsLetters
1A, E, I, L, N, O, R, S, T, U
2D, G
3B, C, M, P
4F, H, V, W, Y
5K
8J, X
10Q, Z

Example racks

The highest-scoring word for a few seven-tile racks, worked out by the finder:

RackWordsHighest scoreBest everyday wordUse all 7 tiles
JKAEORS139JOKERS, 17JOKERS, 17None
AHIRSTW179TRISHAW, 13THAWS, 11TRISHAW, WRAITHS
QURTSEA147QUAREST, 16QUARTS, 15QUAREST, QUARTES, QUATRES
AEINRST350NASTIER, 7NASTIER, 7NASTIER, RETAINS, RETINAS, ANESTRI

With JKAEORS, the J and K carry the score: JOKERS is worth 17 points without using every tile. With AHIRSTW, TRISHAW and WRAITHS use all seven tiles for 13 points before any bonus, and in many games the bonus for using every tile makes a play like that hard to beat.

Playing through letters on the board

Most good plays build on letters already on the board. Add them under "Letters on the board" and the finder treats them as free: they count toward the score but don't come from your rack. For example, with the rack RTAESPL and an ING already on the board, the finder finds 164 words; the top scorer is PLASTERING, at 13 points, which plays all seven of your tiles through the ING.

Tips for a better score

  • Keep a balanced rack. Two or three vowels with common consonants such as R, S, T, L and N give you the most words next turn.
  • Hold on to an S and a blank while you can: both turn a near-miss into a long word, and an S can extend a word already on the board.
  • Learn the two-letter words. QI, ZA, ZO, AX, EX, JA and the like let you place a high-value tile on a premium square while making two words at once.
  • Don't hold a Q too long. If you have no U, look for a Q-without-U word such as QI, QAT, QAID, or swap tiles.
  • Check the length list. Sort by length to spot a seven-tile word the score order puts lower down.

To see every word your letters make, without scores, use the word unscrambler; for anagrams of names and phrases, the anagram solver. Crossword in progress? The crossword solver fills in letter patterns, and the 5-letter word finder helps with guessing games.

Frequently asked questions

How are the scores worked out?

Each word scores the sum of its letter values: 1 point for A, E, I, L, N, O, R, S, T and U, 2 for D and G, 3 for B, C, M and P, 4 for F, H, V, W and Y, 5 for K, 8 for J and X, and 10 for Q and Z. A blank scores 0. Letters already on the board count at face value. Premium squares and bonuses depend on where you play, so they are not included.

What does "uses all 7 tiles" mean?

The word uses every tile on your rack in one turn. Many tile-based word games give a large bonus for that, often worth more than the word itself, so these words are listed separately even when their letter score is low.

How do I use letters that are already on the board?

Type them under "Letters on the board": as the start of the word, the end, or letters it must contain somewhere in the middle, such as ING. They are added to your tiles for free, and the word must use at least one tile from your rack.

Will every word be accepted in my game?

Not always. The finder uses a dictionary of 273,766 words, including many rare ones that tile games accept, but each game has its own official list. Words that are everyday English come first when scores tie; check an unusual word in your game before you play it.

What are the best two-letter words?

This dictionary has 124 two-letter words. The highest-scoring are QI, ZA, ZO, AX, EX, JA, JO, KY, OX, XI, XU, worth 11 or 9 points before premium squares. Check that your game accepts them.

Are there words with a Q but no U?

Yes, 91 of them in this dictionary, such as QI, QAT, QAID, QADI, QOPH, SUQ, FAQIR, TRANQ, NIQAB, BURQA. They are worth learning: a Q with no U in sight is the hardest tile to play.

Can I enter more than seven tiles?

Yes, up to 15 letters plus two blanks, for games with bigger racks or to explore what a set of letters can do. The "uses all tiles" list then shows words that use every one.

More free tools