5-letter words with D as the 2nd letter and L as the 4th letter

The fixed pattern is _D_L_: D sits in slot two and L in slot four. ADULT and ODDLY are familiar examples, but the full set includes less common forms such as IDYLL and ODALS. Only three entries count as common words, so expect a mix of recognizable answers and specialist vocabulary.

What stands out in this pattern?

• There are 12 matches across Collins, NWL2023 and ENABLE; each dictionary includes nine or more.
• The starting letters split evenly between I and O, with four words for each.
• Five matches end in S, making that the most frequent final letter.
• ODDLY leads the scoring list at 10 points; IDYLL and IDYLS score 9 each.
• Three matches are Wordle answers, and all three also appear in tournament dictionaries.

Which words fit _D_L_?

ADULT and ODDLY are the easiest entries to recognize at a glance. IDOLS is another familiar word, while ADDLE gives you a second option beginning with A. The remaining matches include forms such as IDYLL, IDYLS, IDOLA, EDILE, ODALS, ODYLE and ODYLS.

The endings narrow the search quickly: five words finish in S, three in E, and one each in A, L, T and Y. If your final tile is already known, start with that split rather than testing every possible first letter. I and O each lead four matches; A leads two.

How should you use these words in a game?

For Wordle, the three matching answer-list entries are all dictionary-listed, though the answer list does not name them. Treat the pattern as a filter for a board that already confirms D and L in those positions, not as a set of opening guesses. ADULT and IDOLS are recognizable possibilities; rarer entries are less likely to come to mind unaided.

For 5-letter words with D as the 2nd letter and L as the 4th letter, ODDLY is the standout at 10 points, while the average score is 7.4. That score is a base-word comparison, not a promise about a board: bonuses change the result. Ten of the 12 entries have definitions, but only three are common, so check your game's word list before relying on an obscure form.