Crossplay X Words
Board-friendly words containing X, up to seven letters, searchable and scored. The X is worth 8 — less than the Q, J and Z — but it reliably earns more than all of them. (4,456 X words exist in total.)
1,134 of 1,134 words
Tap any word to load it into the solver rack, or check a different word.
The most profitable tile in the bag
Face value says the X is the fourth-best tile at 8 points. In practice it earns more than the Q, J or Z, because of one property none of them share: it forms two-letter words both before and after a vowel. AX and XI. EX and XU. OX.
That means you can drop an X into the gap between two existing words and have it read correctly in both directions. One tile, two words, both collecting the premium square underneath.
The play to look for every turn you hold it
Find a double or triple letter square with a vowel on one side and room on the other. Put the X there. On a double letter forming AX across and XI down, you score 16 + 16 = 32 points for placing a single tile. On a triple letter it is 48.
Words worth knowing
- Two letters: AX, EX, OX, XI, XU.
- Three letters: AXE, BOX, FAX, FIX, FOX, HEX, LAX, LOX, MAX, MIX, NIX, OXY, PAX, PIX, POX, RAX, REX, SAX, SEX, SIX, SOX, TAX, TUX, VEX, WAX, XIS, ZAX.
- The one to remember: ZAX — a Z and an X in the same three-letter word.
Related
- Two-Letter WordsThe list that wins the most points per tile.
- Z WordsTen-point Z plays worth memorising.
- J WordsWhere to put the ten-point J.
- Tile ValuesWhat every letter is worth, sortable.
- Crossplay SolverEnter your board and rack, get every legal move ranked by score.
- Strategy GuideTen ideas that add points to every game.
Common questions
Why is the X better than a 10-point tile?
Because AX, EX, OX, XI and XU mean it works as both the first and the second letter of a two-letter word. Placed between two existing words it forms a valid word in each direction, so the same tile scores twice.
What is the classic X play?
Slot the X on a double letter square where it forms a two-letter word both across and down. At 8 × 2 = 16 in each direction, that is 32 points from a single tile.
Is the X worth holding for a spot like that?
A turn or two, yes — more than for any other tile. The double-hook shape is common enough that waiting one turn for it is often correct.