5-letter words with L as the 1st letter and D as the 4th letter

The pattern is L _ _ D _, with the fourth tile fixed as D and the middle pair still open. Across Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE, the shared pool holds 19 words; source totals overlap, so they do not add up to the overall count. Seventeen have definitions, but only 13 appear in NWL2023, a meaningful difference if your game uses the North American list.

At a glance, the L _ _ D _ pattern

• There are 19 tournament-dictionary matches with L first and D fourth.
• Five entries meet the common by frequency; LEADS, LANDS, and LOADS are recognizable examples.
• Eleven words end in S, six in Y, and one each in A and E.
• LADDY scores 10 points, the highest total; the average score is 7.1.

5-letter words with L as the 1st letter and D as the 4th letter

The nineteen matches share a tight ending pattern: most finish in S or Y. LEADS, LANDS, LOADS, LORDS, and LENDS show the S ending; LINDY, LORDY, and LARDY show the Y group. Only LABDA and LANDE account for the less common final letters.

The D-fourth pattern is comparatively small for L. Changing that fourth letter to E gives 144 matches, while I gives 44 and A gives 40. Keep D locked when it is confirmed, then test the two middle tiles before widening your search.

Which L-first, D-fourth words score highest?

LADDY leads at 10 points. LINDY, LORDY, LARDY, LALDY, and LEADY each score 9, while the recognizable LEADS, LANDS, and LOADS each score 6. A less familiar answer can outscore a common one, so separate the clue-solving job from the board-scoring choice.

Dictionary coverage is not uniform: Collins includes 18 matches, compared with 13 in NWL2023 and 11 in ENABLE. The totals overlap, and this pattern has no Wordle answers. If your game uses NWL2023, check that list before committing to a less familiar entry.