5-letter words with A as the 4th letter and Y as the 5th letter

With both final positions fixed, every match ends in AY, but the first three letters create a mixed set. TODAY, DELAY, ESSAY, and SPRAY are familiar; BYWAY and TOKAY are less routine. Only 10 entries rank among common English words, so the opening letters often make the best next clue.

At a glance: the A-Y pattern

• Exactly 41 tournament-dictionary words fit A in position four and Y in position five.
• Only 10 matches rank as common by English word frequency.
• Every match ends in Y; A starts 7, S starts 5, and D, R, and U start 4 each.
• BYWAY scores 16, ahead of IXNAY at 15.
• The pattern has 13 matching Wordle answers and 40 matching allowed guesses.

Which matches are Wordle answers or allowed guesses?

The pattern matches 13 Wordle answers and 40 allowed guesses. Those totals differ: the answer set is smaller than the permitted guess set, so a matching word is not automatically a possible solution.

Starting letters can narrow the choices. A begins 7 matches, while S begins 5; D, R, and U begin 4 apiece. Try familiar candidates such as TODAY, DELAY, and SPRAY before spending guesses on less common entries.

Dictionary coverage also varies: ENABLE includes 27 matches, Collins 39, and NWL2023 31. That split means a familiar-looking word might not pass every game's checker; the list you play matters.

How should you use the A-Y pattern in a game?

BYWAY scores 16, the highest value in this group; IXNAY follows at 15, while VACAY scores 13. Those are the standout point values, not necessarily the words you are most likely to recognize.

The matches average 10 points, but familiarity and score are different clues. TODAY, DELAY, ESSAY, and RELAY are recognizable candidates; BYWAY and IXNAY stand out on the score sheet. A high score does not mean a word is common: only 10 matches meet the frequency measure.

Use the 5-letter words with A as the 4th letter and Y as the 5th letter as a pattern filter, not a promise of acceptance. The matches span multiple game dictionaries, so check your chosen game's word list before committing an obscure play.