5-letter words with O as the 3rd letter and K as the 5th letter

The shape is ??O?K, and the -OCK family dominates it: STOCK, BLOCK, SHOCK, CLOCK, KNOCK, CROCK, FROCK and SMOCK are 13 of the 42 words. S opens 12 and C opens 10, so two letters cover the front of more than half the list. The group scores well, averaging 11.8, and 18 entries are Wordle answers.

The O-third, K-fifth set in brief

• 42 words match, every one ending in K.
• 13 are -OCK words with a C in the fourth square.
• S opens 12 words and C opens 10.
• 18 are Wordle answers, close to half the list.
• QUONK tops scoring at 18, then CHOWK on 17 and CHOCK on 16.

The -OCK and -OOK families

Two endings split the list. The -OCK words put a C in the fourth square, and STOCK, BLOCK, SHOCK, CLOCK, KNOCK, CROCK, FROCK, CHOCK and SMOCK are the familiar ones. The -OOK group trades that C for a second O: SHOOK, BROOK, CROOK, SPOOK and SNOOK.

The rest scatter across other frames. CLOAK and CROAK close on -OAK, STORK and CHOWK on -ORK and -OWK, and KIOSK breaks the mould entirely. Between the -OCK and -OOK groups, more than half the list is spoken for.

Why the scores run high here

K is a five-point letter and it closes every word, so the floor is high. Add the doubled consonants in STOCK, BLOCK, SHOCK and CHOCK and the average climbs to 11.8, the best of any O-third pattern. CHOWK and CHOCK are the leaders that are not rare, at 17 and 16.

One caution for North American play. AWORK, CHOWK, CRONK, DROOK, PLOOK, PLOUK, PRONK, QUONK, SNOEK, SNOWK and TRONK appear only in Collins, so eleven of the 42 will not turn up in NWL2023 games.

Treat the fixed K as a green square