Crossplay Three-Letter Words
All 976 three-letter words, searchable by any letter and filterable by how they start or end. The workhorses of a crowded board.
976 of 976 words
Tap any word to load it into the solver rack, or check a different word.
Three letters is where hooks live
A hook is a letter you add to the front or back of a word already on the board, turning it into a different word while you play a whole new word the other way. Most hooks are two-letter words becoming three-letter words, which is why this list and the two-letter list are best learned together.
The practical version: when you see AX on the board, you should be thinking AXE and PAX and LAX and TAX and WAX and ZAX. Each of those is a square you can play through while scoring a second word.
Getting expensive tiles onto premiums
The value of a three-letter word is rarely the word itself. It is that a three-letter slot can reach a triple letter square that a longer word cannot fit into. ZAX on a triple letter under the Z is 30 points before the word multiplier — from three tiles, in a gap most players walk straight past.
Endgame
With two or three tiles left and a board full of blocked lanes, three-letter words are often the only legal plays that exist. Knowing them is the difference between going out first and being stuck with a Q.
Related
- Two-Letter WordsThe list that wins the most points per tile.
- Q WordsWords with Q, ranked by how playable they are.
- Z WordsTen-point Z plays worth memorising.
- Crossplay SolverEnter your board and rack, get every legal move ranked by score.
- Strategy GuideTen ideas that add points to every game.
- Dictionary CheckerIs that word playable? Check it instantly.
Common questions
How are three-letter words useful?
They are how you extend a two-letter word that is already on the board, and how you get high-value tiles onto premium squares in a tight space. Late in a game, when the board is crowded, most of the available plays are three letters or fewer.
Which should I learn first?
The ones that take a two-letter word you already know and add a front or back hook — AXE from AX, ZAS from ZA, QIS from QI. Learning hooks doubles the value of the two-letter list you already have.
Can I filter to just the ones with a Z or a J?
Yes — use the search box. Typing Z shows every three-letter word containing a Z, and the starts-with and ends-with filters narrow it further.