5-letter words with G as the 1st letter and P as the 3rd letter

Only three slots move in this pattern, and the fifth one is the tightest: six matches end in Y, three in S and three in K. Doubled P turns up in GAPPY and GUPPY, which helps explain the 11.2 average. Ten of the 17 matches carry a definition, so expect plenty of rare forms.

What stands out in the G?P?? list

• Seventeen matches, with P locked into the middle slot.
• The final letter is Y in six matches, then S and K with three each.
• GUPPY and GAPPY lead the familiar entries at 13 points.
• Ten of the 17 matches have a dictionary definition.
• ENABLE lists 8 of them and NWL2023 12, against 15 in Collins.

Why the scores run high for a short list

P is worth only 3 points, so the high average comes from elsewhere: the Y endings and the doubled P. GUPPY and GAPPY both score 13, and the list averages 11.2. A pair of P tiles is the real prize, because the shape puts one in the middle and one right after it.

The outright 16-point score belongs to a slang spelling this site does not feature, so GUPPY and GAPPY at 13 are the ones worth remembering. A doubled P is worth chasing here, since it turns an ordinary rack into a 13-point play.

Wordle answers and the rare-word problem

Three matches sit on the Wordle answer list, but only GUPPY is a word most players would use; the other two are dated ethnic labels this site does not feature. Strip those out and the pattern still leaves 16 legal guesses from 17 matches, since GEPIK falls outside the accepted list. Everyday options are scarce otherwise, because just one match qualifies as common English.

A narrow dictionary gap