6-letter words with A as the 1st letter and F as the 2nd letter

Every match starts AF, so the first two tiles are fixed. Collins keeps all 29, NWL2023 and ENABLE 18 each, and seven words are common. The doubled F in the AFF- words is worth 8 points, which is why the list averages 11.8.

At a glance for the AF openings

• All 29 matches begin AF, and 14 of them continue with the AFF block.
• AFFLUX scores 19, the only match that clears 16 points.
• Seven words are everyday vocabulary: AFRAID, AFFECT, AFFORD, AFFAIR, AFGHAN, AFLOAT and AFFIRM.
• Collins holds all 29 matches, while NWL2023 and ENABLE each carry 18.
• Six matches end in D, and S and T close five each.

Why do the AFF- words score best?

A pair of F tiles pays 8 points on its own, and the AFF- block holds 14 of the 29 matches. AFFLUX climbs to 19 with its X, AFFYDE reaches 16 with a Y, and AFFRAY, AFFECT, AFFIRM and AFFRAP all land on 14.

The five AFR- words work differently. AFRAID, AFRESH, AFRONT, AFREET and AFRITS trade a single big tile for movement, since the R slides into a bonus square more easily than a repeated F.

Which entries will you actually use?

Seven matches rank inside the 25,000 most frequent words: AFRAID, AFFECT, AFFORD, AFFAIR, AFGHAN, AFLOAT and AFFIRM. Four of those belong to the AFF block, which makes that opening the friendliest part of the list for casual play.

Eleven matches sit in Collins but not NWL2023: AFARAS, AFAWLD, AFEARS, AFFEAR, AFFEER, AFFIED, AFFIES, AFFRAP, AFFRET, AFFYDE and AFRONT. Run them past the dictionary your game uses before you build a plan around one.