5-letter words with D as the 1st letter and N as the 4th letter

The pattern is D _ _ N _: D stays fixed at the start, N at the fourth position, and the final letter remains open. Only 38 tournament-dictionary words fit, compared with 104 for S _ _ N _ and 116 for D _ _ E _. DOING, DRINK, and DRUNK are recognizable starting points; many of the remaining entries are less familiar.

At a glance: D _ _ N _

• Thirty-eight words meet the pattern across Collins, ENABLE, or NWL2023.
• Collins includes 38; ENABLE includes 20, and NWL2023 includes 21.
• Eleven of the matching words rank among the most common English words.
• DJINN and DJINS top the tile scores at 13 points; DOWNY scores 12.
• Ten entries end in S, the most frequent final letter; only one ends in N.

Which words are easiest to recognize?

DOING, DRINK, DYING, and DRUNK are familiar matches, and each preserves the D _ _ N _ frame. DRANK and DRONE offer other recognizable letter runs, while DOWNY ends in Y and scores 12 points.

Ending letters narrow the search further: S leads with 10 words, while E, T, and Y each account for five. A final N appears just once. That imbalance makes the last tile a strong clue; test S first when your board has not fixed the fifth slot.

5-letter words with D first and N fourth: Wordle and scores

Eight words in the pattern also occur in the Wordle answer list, and all 38 are accepted guesses in its allowed list. For 5-letter words with D first and N fourth, check answer candidates separately: the larger set includes tournament entries that are not Wordle answers.

Dictionary coverage is uneven: Collins has all 38, but ENABLE has 20 and NWL2023 has 21. If a candidate fails in your game, its dictionary may be narrower. Only 11 entries rank among common English words, so unfamiliar forms are expected.

Score hunting offers another route: DJINN and DJINS lead at 13 points, but DRINK is more familiar and scores 10. On an open board, weigh tile placement alongside base score; a premium square can change the result.