Hooking with -SO words
Endings like -SO 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.
What the numbers say
A few numbers before you scroll: the 43 words here run from 4 to 13 letters, with 5-letter words the largest group (14 entries). Wordle players have 14 five-letter options, and there are 10 seven-letter candidates for a Scrabble bingo. The single best scorer is GRAZIOSO at 18 points before multipliers.
For quick reference, the top of the score table reads: GRAZIOSO (18), SUPERVIRTUOSO (18), EXPRESSO (17), CALYPSO (14), CHAMISO (14). The longest entry is SUPERVIRTUOSO at 13 letters, and the average word here is worth about 9 points. Letter-wise, O is the workhorse — it appears in 43 of these words, ahead of S (43) and R (21).
Three words worth learning first
- ALSO earns 4 points from just 4 tiles — and it is a word few opponents will bother to challenge.
- Playing LASSO across a double-word square turns its base 5 points into 10 — solid value for 5 tiles.
- TORSO — 5 letters for 5 points; every tile in it is a common draw, so it shows up rack after rack.
Five more everyday options from the same list: ARIOSO (6), GESSO (6), BASSO (7), CANSO (7), CUSSO (7).
Back-hooking with -SO
A reliable habit: every time you learn a new -SO 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.