6-letter words with E as the 2nd letter and D as the 5th letter

The pattern is _E__D_: E is fixed in slot two, D in slot five, and the other four positions stay open. The 64 matches include everyday-looking choices such as BESIDE and MELODY, but only 8 fall among the most common English words. Dictionary coverage also varies, so the full count does not guarantee every game accepts every entry.

At a glance: fixed letters, counts, and scoring

• 64 tournament-list entries fit _E__D_.
• R leads the first-letter group with 16 words; B follows with 10.
• S closes 28 entries, compared with 21 ending in E.
• Only 8 matches are common, while 58 have definitions.
• HEXADE and HEXADS top the scores at 17 points each.

Which words make this pattern easier to spot?

Recognizable choices include DECIDE, DECADE, BESIDE, REMEDY, MELODY, RESIDE, and DECODE. Those examples show why the pattern is easier to spot from the middle than from the opening: R starts 16 matches, but no single first letter dominates the group. Fill the fixed E and D first, then test likely openings such as R, B, or D.

Endings narrow the pool faster: 28 words finish in S and 21 in E, while Y is a distant third with 6. The S-ending group includes BEARDS and WEIRDS; DECIDE, DECADE, and DECODE show the E ending. If your crossing letters settle the final slot, use that split before trying rarer openings.

6-letter words with E as the 2nd letter and D as the 5th letter

For board play, HEXADE, HEXADS, and BEJADE score 17, 17, and 16 points. Those scores come from letter values before premium squares, so the J and X do much of the work. REMEDY and MELODY score 12 apiece: familiar vocabulary does not automatically beat a rack with a premium consonant.

Collins lists 64 matches, against 47 in NWL2023 and 44 in ENABLE. The pattern is broadest in Collins, so check your game's word list before committing an unfamiliar entry. The 64-word group is a pattern match, not a promise that every item is familiar or playable in every dictionary.