5-letter words starting with V

There are 231 five-letter entries, including 43 Wordle answers and 49 words marked common. Its most striking pattern sits at the other end, where 74 entries finish with S, more than any other final letter. Words such as views, votes and veins show how varied the endings can be after the same opening.

S is the leading ending for V words

S closes 74 entries, well over twice the next ending, E at 30. Views, votes and veins all land on that S, so when V is fixed and the last square is open, a plural is a strong first guess.

The rest of the table is mostly consonants: A at 23, D at 20 and R at 19. E is the only common vowel ending, which is why so many V words lean on the S plural.

Familiar V words that fit a clue

• Reach for video, visit or value when a clue wants common letters after V.
• Voice and valid carry the vowel-heavy shapes, while venue and villa keep the opening and add a doubled letter.
• Test virus and viral when the third letter is known but the vowel is open.
• Keep views and votes ready when the final square looks like an S.
• Leave vozhd and vibex for the board, not for a Wordle guess.

Scoring beyond the everyday V list

The average V word is worth 9.8 points, and vozhd is the outlier at 21. Vizir, vizor, vezir and vibex each reach 17, while vexed, vichy and vaxed score 16.

Those totals lean on V, X and Z tiles. Few everyday V words carry a heavy letter, so the leaders are board plays rather than guess candidates.

Save a heavy V word for a turn when the board offers a letter bonus or a triple square. On a plain board the familiar entries keep more letters in play.

Which V words are Wordle answers

Forty-three V words sit in the Wordle answer list. Video, value, voice, visit and valid are the everyday ones, while vinyl, vodka and vague cover the less obvious shapes.

Match the letters you have already revealed before guessing among them. A V at the start is uncommon in the answer pool, so it is worth confirming early.

When V starts and S finishes