Hooking with -LI words
Endings like -LI 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 115 words here run from 4 to 14 letters, with 6-letter words the largest group (27 entries). Wordle players have 10 five-letter options, and there are 25 seven-letter candidates for a Scrabble bingo. The single best scorer is LEPTOCEPHALI at 21 points before multipliers.
For quick reference, the top of the score table reads: LEPTOCEPHALI (21), PODOPHYLLI (21), PROVENTRICULI (20), STREPTOBACILLI (20), CONVOLVULI (18). STREPTOBACILLI (14 letters) stretches furthest, while the list-wide average score sits near 11 points. The most useful tiles to hold for this list are L, I and O, which appear in 115, 115 and 53 of the words respectively.
Three words worth learning first
- When the rack looks hopeless, SOLI (4 letters, 4 points) is the kind of quiet play that keeps a game moving.
- TALI earns 4 points from just 4 tiles — and it is a word few opponents will bother to challenge.
- AIOLI — a 5-letter, 5-point play that slots into tight board lanes where longer words won't fit.
Once those stick, file away the next tier too: ANNULI (6), NEROLI (6), NIELLI (6), OORALI (6), ARGALI (7).
-LI as a board weapon
When the board tightens up late in a Scrabble game, -LI words keep you scoring: they attach to existing letters instead of needing seven clean tiles. Crossword solvers use the same trick in reverse — if the grid gives you the last letters, this list is the candidate pool. Check the length filter in the Word Finder to match your open squares exactly.
More endings
Narrow it down
Pair an ending with a length or starting letter in the Word Finder.