getting G₂E₁T₁T₁I₁N₁G₂

GETTING is the act of obtaining or acquiring something, and the thing obtained, such as a gain. At rank 223 with a count of 331,186, it is one of the busiest seven-letter words. Its ING ending and double T make it an easy rack to extend.

GETTING at a glance

• Seven letters: G, E, T, T, I, N, G.
• Base score 9, with two Gs at 2 points each.
• Twelve neighbours, many ending in -ETTING.
• Frequency rank 223, with a count of 331,186.

Why does GETTING have so many neighbours?

The -ETTING block is common: swap the first tile and you get SETTING, LETTING, BETTING, NETTING, VETTING or PETTING. Six of the twelve neighbours follow that pattern, .

That makes GETTING a flexible choice when the board holds an -ETTING frame and your rack offers a G, S, L or B. Two Gs, one at each end, also make the word easy to spot on a crowded rack.

How does GETTING score against its neighbours?

Add G2, E1, T1, T1, I1, N1 and G2 and the base is 9. SETTING and LETTING score 8, since a 1-point tile replaces a 2-point G. BETTING reaches 10, because B is worth 3.

A seven-tile play earns the 50-point bonus, so GETTING reaches 59 as a bingo.

Which words share the ending?

The shared ending links GETTING to BEING, GOING, SOMETHING, DURING and THING in spelling. Of 33,788 seven-letter words, 1,421 begin with G and 2,304 end in G, about 7 percent. Most of the neighbours are common words, so you can play them without worry, but check your game’s word list if a rare one tempts you.

A final G is not rare here: 2,304 words end that way, so a pattern with a known last letter still returns a long list.