5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and R as the 3rd letter
5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and R as the 3rd letter: 38 tournament-dictionary matches, from familiar KARMA to high-scoring KARZY.
4 of 38 are everyday words (11%). A mix of familiar words and game-only finds.
With K in 1st place, A is the most common 3rd letter (43 words). The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.
Best words to play first
- KARMA11
- KERRY12
- KIRBY14
- KYRIE12
- KARAT9
- KARTS9
- KARST9
- KAROO9
- KERNS9
- KURTA9
- KARAS9
- KERBS11
- KARRI9
- KORMA11
- KIRKS13
- KERMA11
- KARNS9
- KURUS9
- KORAT9
- KORES9
- KORIS9
- KERNE9
- KORUS9
- KORAI9
- KEROS9
- KURRE9
- KEREL9
- KARZY21
- KARSY12
- KORUN9
- KERFS12
- KIRRI9
- KURIS9
- KARKS13
- KERKY16
- KERVE12
- KIRNS9
- KORAS9
All valid words 38
- KARAS9
- KARAT9
- KARKS13
- KARMA11
- KARNS9
- KAROO9
- KARRI9
- KARST9
- KARSY12
- KARTS9
- KARZY21
- KERBS11
- KEREL9
- KERFS12
- KERKY16
- KERMA11
- KERNE9
- KERNS9
- KEROS9
- KERRY12
- KERVE12
- KIRBY14
- KIRKS13
- KIRNS9
- KIRRI9
- KORAI9
- KORAS9
- KORAT9
- KORES9
- KORIS9
- KORMA11
- KORUN9
- KORUS9
- KURIS9
- KURRE9
- KURTA9
- KURUS9
- KYRIE12
Highest-scoring words
| Word | Scrabble | Words With Friends | Dictionaries |
|---|---|---|---|
| KARZY | 21 | 20 | Collins only |
| KERKY | 16 | 15 | Collins only |
| KIRBY | 14 | 14 | Collins only |
| KIRKS | 13 | 13 | All three |
| KARKS | 13 | 13 | Collins only |
| KERRY | 12 | 11 | All three |
| KYRIE | 12 | 11 | All three |
| KARSY | 12 | 11 | Collins only |
| KERFS | 12 | 12 | All three |
| KERVE | 12 | 13 | Collins only |
| KARMA | 11 | 12 | All three |
| KERBS | 11 | 12 | All three |
The fixed pattern is K?R??: K occupies the first slot, R the third, and three positions remain open. The 38 matches range from recognizable KARMA and KARAT to specialist entries such as KARZY and KERKY. Only four are common by frequency, so the set reaches well beyond everyday vocabulary.
The K-R pattern at a glance
- 38 tournament-list words fit K?R??.
- 16 end in S, making it the leading final letter.
- Five end in Y; A and E each close four words.
- KARZY tops the scoring table at 21 Scrabble points.
- Only four entries meet the common by frequency.
5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and R as the 3rd letter
The 5-letter words with K as the 1st letter and R as the 3rd letter share a useful skeleton, but the final two letters separate familiar words from obscure ones. KARMA, KARAT, and KARTS are easy to scan first; KERNS, KERBS, and KORAT widen the options when those familiar choices do not fit.
Treat the fourth and fifth slots as a pair, not as independent blanks. With S finishing 16 entries, a known S at the end gives a strong filter; Y is a distant second with five, while A and E each appear four times. That distribution makes an S ending more productive than trying endings at random.
Why do dictionary counts differ?
Dictionary coverage is uneven: Collins includes 37 matches, NWL2023 includes 23, and ENABLE includes 19. Those totals overlap, so do not add them to estimate a combined list. The set contains 38 words across at least one of those tournament sources, while only four are common by frequency.
That gap matters during play. KARMA and KARAT look familiar, but unusual forms such as KARZY and KERKY rank among the top scorers rather than everyday vocabulary. Check your game's word list before committing to a less familiar entry; Collins coverage does not guarantee acceptance in an NWL2023 game.
Which K-R word scores highest?
Score KARZY first: its 21-point total beats KERKY at 16, then KIRBY at 14. Those are tile scores before board bonuses, so premium squares change the final result.
Questions people ask
How many five-letter words have K first and R third?
Which final letter appears most often in this pattern?
What is the highest-scoring word with K first and R third?
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