5-Letter Words With X in the Middle

100 words

The letter X in the middle position creates some of the most valuable words in competitive word games. This collection includes botanical terms, ancient drinking vessels, and everyday words that punch well above their weight on the board.

Pattern Guide

Word recommendations for board games.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Top 5-Letter Words

KYLIX

a shallow drinking cup with two handles; used in ancient Greece

19 pts
XEROX

reproduce by xerography

19 pts
AFFIX

add to the very end

18 pts
FLAXY
18 pts
HEXYL
18 pts
HYRAX

any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes

18 pts
XYLYL
18 pts
BRAXY
17 pts

KYLIX and XEROX tie for the highest scores in both Scrabble and WWF at 19 points each. BUXOM climbs to 19 points in WWF despite scoring lower in Scrabble, making it a stronger play on that platform. AFFIX and HYRAX remain consistent performers across both games, while CHOUX and CIMEX offer solid WWF options when you need to dump difficult letter combinations.

Wordle

5-letter words for daily puzzles

Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)

RELAXStarter

make less taut

EXTRAStarter

added to a regular schedule

EXISTStarter

support oneself

EXACTStarter

claim as due or just

Common Words (likely answers)

RELAXCommon

make less taut

EXTRACommon

added to a regular schedule

EXISTCommon

support oneself

FIXEDCommon

fixed and unmoving

EXTRA makes an excellent opening guess, testing two vowels and the common consonants T and R. RELAX follows well as a second guess, checking E and A positions while introducing L.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

AXIOM

a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits

CALYX

(botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green

EXULT

feel extreme happiness or elation

"Who cannot exult in Spring?"

HYRAX

any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes

HYRAX names a small mammal from Africa and Asia that resembles a rodent but is actually related to elephants. Despite its obscurity in everyday speech, it scores 18 points in Scrabble thanks to the H-Y-X combination. Worth memorizing for those moments when you're stuck with both an H and a Y.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.