6-letter words with D as the 3rd letter and D as the 6th letter

D is locked into two slots, so the middle three letters carry the rest of the word. Most matches are past-tense verbs: JUDGED, NODDED and PADDED all reuse the D. Only eight of the 72 count as familiar vocabulary, so the list rewards players who know their verb endings rather than everyday words.

Counts, dictionary gaps and top scores

• A total of 72 six-letter entries carry D in both the third and sixth slots; 63 of them end in -ED.
• B and R start eight matches each, the widest openings in the group.
• JUDGED scores 16, the only match above 15 points.
• Collins lists 71 of the 72; NWL2023 lists 59 and ENABLE 57, so 13 are Collins-only.
• Just eight matches fall inside the top 25,000 English words by frequency.

Why do 63 of the 72 end in -ED?

English marks the past tense with -ED, which puts E in the fifth slot and D in the sixth, so any verb whose stem already holds a D in third place fits this pattern cleanly. BODIED, DODGED, LODGED and NODDED all show it.

More than two in five matches double the letter outright, and 31 of the 72, including PADDED, WEDDED and NODDED, contain DD. That doubling is a useful filter, because a rack holding a single D cuts most of this list away.

Cross-dictionary coverage is the real trap. Collins accepts 71 of the 72, while NWL2023 takes 59 and ENABLE 57, and 13 matches, among them BEDYED, DODDED and MUDGED, appear in Collins alone. Check your game's word list before committing to one of those.

Which matching words score the most?

JUDGED tops the group at 16 points, with KIDVID next on 15 and HYDRID on 14. KEDGED, KIDDED and BEDYED all reach 13, and the pattern averages 10.3 points.

Two D tiles bring only four points between them, so the ceiling stays modest and the big totals come from K, V, Y and J in the open slots. KIDVID and HYDRID reward those letters, while JUDGED stays the safest high pick.