6-letter words with A as the 2nd letter and B as the 3rd letter

The pattern is _AB___: A takes the second slot and B the third, leaving three letters open. Familiar matches include HABITS, FABRIC, CABLES, and TABLET. Most entries are less common, though: just 13 of the 144 make the common-word group, which makes this pattern better for checking a known clue than for guessing a familiar word at random.

The A-B pattern at a glance

• The pattern contains 144 six-letter entries, with the fixed middle pair A-B.
• Only 13 entries fall in the common-word group, so expect plenty of unfamiliar options.
• S is the most frequent final letter, ending 48 matches; D is next with 18.
• LABOUR, BABIES, TABLES, and RABBIT show how varied the open slots can be.

6-letter words with A as the 2nd letter and B as the 3rd letter

The starting letter is not concentrated in one family: C and T lead with 18 words each, followed by S with 16. That means a known first letter narrows the search, but it does not point to a single obvious answer. Try CAB- words such as CABLES, then compare TABLES or TABLET if T fits.

Dictionary coverage also changes the usable set. Collins includes 138 matches, NWL2023 includes 115, and ENABLE includes 102.

LABOUR and LABORS offer spelling variation, while BABIES and RABBIS show common plural endings. Check your game's word list before relying on a less familiar entry.

How to narrow an _AB___ clue

• Lock A and B into place first, then test the starting letter; C and T each lead 18 entries.
• If the word ends in S, start with familiar candidates such as TABLES, CABLES, or BABIES.
• For a less obvious ending, compare LABOUR, TABLET, and RABBIT against your crossing letters.
• In a rack game, JAB affects the score sharply: JABBED leads the scoring examples at 18 points.