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5-letter words with D as the 2nd letter and E as the 3rd letter

Only ten 5-letter words carry D second and E third, a short list headed by IDEAS, IDEAL and ADEPT.

10 wordsTop pick IDEASHighest score ADEPT 8

3 of 10 are everyday words (30%). A friendly list: most players will know the top picks.

  • 3rd letter
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

With D in 2nd place, I is the most common 3rd letter (12 words). The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.

  • Length
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15

Best words to play first 10 · most-used first

  • IDEAS6
  • IDEAL6
  • ADEPT8
  • EDEMA8
  • ODEON6
  • IDENT6
  • IDEES6
  • ODEUM8
  • ADEEM8
  • SDEIN6
All valid words 10

A to Z. Includes rare and Collins-only words. Linked tiles open the word's meaning, score and rhymes.

  • ADEEM8
  • ADEPT8
  • EDEMA8
  • IDEAL6
  • IDEAS6
  • IDEES6
  • IDENT6
  • ODEON6
  • ODEUM8
  • SDEIN6

Highest-scoring words

Scrabble and Words With Friends points, before board bonuses
WordScrabbleWords With FriendsDictionaries
ADEPT89All three
EDEMA89All three
ODEUM810All three
ADEEM89All three
IDEAS66All three
IDEAL67All three
ODEON67All three
IDENT67Collins · NWL
IDEES66Collins only
SDEIN67Collins only

This is the leanest pattern in the group at just 10 words, and it leans on vowels. IDEAS, IDEAL and IDENT share an IDE- opening, while ADEPT, EDEMA, ODEON and ODEUM each start with a different vowel. The average score is 6.8, the lowest of the batch, and both Wordle answers are familiar.

What the ten D-second matches look like

  • Ten matches carry D in the second slot and E in the third.
  • Collins lists all 10, NWL2023 8 and ENABLE 7.
  • ADEPT and IDEAL are the two Wordle answers.
  • Four words tie for the top score at 8 points.
  • Three matches are common, and 9 of the 10 are defined.
  • Every match opens with a vowel except the borrowed SDEIN.

Why the list is so short and vowel-heavy

D second and E third forces an unusual shape, so an opening vowel usually stands before the pair. IDEAS, IDEAL, IDENT and IDEES use the I-D-E start, while ADEPT and ADEEM open with A and ODEON and ODEUM with O.

Only SDEIN breaks that vowel-first habit, a fair sign of how rare the pattern is. Ten matches is small enough that almost every possible form already appears here, which is the clearest thing about the set.

Where the modest scores land

ADEPT, EDEMA, ODEUM and ADEEM tie at 8 points, the ceiling for the group. IDEAS, IDEAL, ODEON, IDENT, IDEES and SDEIN all sit on 6, giving a low average of 6.8.

No high-value letter appears anywhere in the set, so the flat, low scores make sense. Even the leaders stay under 9 points, so this pattern is not about scoring.

One dictionary reminder

Note

NWL2023 holds 8 of the 10 and ENABLE holds 7, so a couple of entries are Collins-only. Check your game's word list before you play a form such as ADEEM or IDEES.

Questions people ask

How many 5-letter words have D second and E third?
Ten words match. Collins lists all 10, NWL2023 lists 8 and ENABLE lists 7, so the count shifts depending on which dictionary your game uses.
Which D-second, E-third words are Wordle answers?
ADEPT and IDEAL are the two Wordle answers, and both are familiar, everyday words. The pattern allows 10 legal guesses in total, and a generous share of them are answers.
Which words score the most in this set?
ADEPT, EDEMA, ODEUM and ADEEM tie at 8 points, the top score for the pattern. IDEAS, IDEAL, ODEON, IDENT, IDEES and SDEIN each score 6.

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