6-letter words with D as the 4th letter and O as the 6th letter

Only a dozen six-letter words put D in the fourth slot and O in the last. Nine repeat the O, giving the list its HOODOO, VOODOO and SKIDOO flavour, while STUDIO, CARDIO and ROADEO break the run. Familiar words are rare: STUDIO, CARDIO and VOODOO are the only entries in the 25,000 most common English words.

What the 12 matches share

• Nine of the 12 close in -OO: HOODOO, KOODOO, SKIDOO, VOODOO, DOODOO, NANDOO, NARDOO, VAUDOO and WANDOO.
• STUDIO, CARDIO and ROADEO are the three that do not end in -OO.
• KOODOO and SKIDOO share the top score at 11 points.
• Only STUDIO, CARDIO and VOODOO rank among the 25,000 most common English words.
• Collins holds all 12; NWL2023 lists nine and ENABLE just six.

Why is this pattern so small?

Both fixed slots sit near the end of the word, and O sixth is unusual outside a handful of sounds. Nine matches repeat the vowel in the two closing slots, so the group reads as a set of playful entries: HOODOO, VOODOO, DOODOO and SKIDOO.

Compare the neighbouring patterns and the drop is sharp. D fourth with E sixth covers 141 six-letter words, and D fourth with D sixth covers 148. Once O takes the last slot, only 12 remain.

Collins carries all 12, but NWL2023 lists nine and ENABLE only six. NANDOO, VAUDOO and WANDOO are Collins-only, and CARDIO, DOODOO and NARDOO also miss ENABLE, so check your game's word list before you play one.

Which of the 12 is worth playing?

KOODOO and SKIDOO top the group at 11 points, with HOODOO, VOODOO, VAUDOO and WANDOO next on 10. The average is 8.9, and the floor is 7 for STUDIO, ROADEO, NANDOO and NARDOO.

SKIDOO reaches the top on its K, while the two everyday words score badly: STUDIO manages 7 and CARDIO 9. A board that rewards a pair of O tiles is where this pattern earns its place.