Hooking with -FE words
Endings like -FE let you tack a word onto a tile already on the board, often turning a small play into a big one. Look for the high-value entries above to maximise points.
A quick statistical tour
A few numbers before you scroll: the 58 words here run from 4 to 11 letters, with 8-letter words the largest group (13 entries). Wordle players have 4 five-letter options, and there are 11 seven-letter candidates for a Scrabble bingo. The single best scorer is JACKKNIFE at 29 points before multipliers.
Chasing points? The best five entries here are JACKKNIFE (29), POCKETKNIFE (26), DRAWKNIFE (20), FISHWIFE (20), RECHAUFFE (20). The longest entry is LOOSESTRIFE at 11 letters, and the average word here is worth about 14 points. The most useful tiles to hold for this list are E, F and I, which appear in 58, 58 and 38 of the words respectively.
Start with these three
- STRAFE earns 9 points from just 6 tiles — and it is a word few opponents will bother to challenge.
- STRIFE is easy to keep in memory: 6 letters, 9 points, and no awkward tiles to hunt for.
- Playing UNSAFE across a double-word square turns its base 9 points into 18 — solid value for 6 tiles.
Once those stick, file away the next tier too: AGRAFE (10), LIFE (7), RIFE (7), SAFE (7), CARAFE (11).
-FE as a board weapon
A reliable habit: every time you learn a new -FE word, note whether it also takes a front extension. Words that extend at both ends are the ones that turn a 12-point play into a 40-point one, because you can bridge two premium squares. The top of this list — sorted by score — is where those double-duty words hide.
More endings
Narrow it down
Pair an ending with a length or starting letter in the Word Finder.