5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and K as the 5th letter

A K at each end makes this a narrow pattern: only 12 entries qualify. Familiar options such as KNOCK, KNACK, and KAYAK sit alongside less familiar forms like KULAK and KYACK. Just 3 entries are common by frequency, so a matching word is not automatically a word you will recognize or want to play.

How many 5-letter words have K in both positions?

• The pattern has 12 matches, with K fixed at the first and fifth positions.
• KNOCK, KNACK, and KAYAK are recognizable examples among the entries.
• Four matches are Wordle answers, and all four occur in tournament dictionaries.
• NWL2023 includes 12 matches; Collins includes 11, while ENABLE includes 10.
• The average score is 14.8; KYACK leads at 18 points, ahead of KAYAK at 16.

Which K-ending matches score highest?

KYACK scores 18 points, the highest score among these matches; KAYAK follows at 16. KNOCK, KNACK, KLICK, KAPOK, KOPEK, KAMIK, and KIACK each score 15, so several less familiar choices tie just below the leader.

The word-game dictionary changes the size of the usable set: Collins accepts 11 matches, ENABLE accepts 10, and NWL2023 accepts all 12. KIOSK scores 13, below the 14.8 average. Check your game's word list before playing an unfamiliar entry; the broader set is not equally accepted everywhere.

What should you test after fixing both Ks?

With K already fixed at both ends, spend guesses on the three middle letters rather than using another turn to confirm either endpoint. KNOCK and KNACK share their opening pair, while KAYAK repeats A; those shapes make internal-letter feedback especially valuable.

This pattern is much smaller than nearby alternatives: 68 five-letter words start with S and end in K, while 152 start with K and end in S. The 5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and K as the 5th letter are a focused candidate set, but the 3 common entries are only part of the full tournament-dictionary list.