6-letter words with E as the 4th letter and K as the 5th letter

The frame _ _ _ E K _ is dominated by plurals: CHEEKS, GREEKS, CREEKS, SLEEKS and STEEKS all end in S. Thirteen entries contain EEK, while EUREKA, PUKEKO and KONEKE break the run. CHEEKY tops the scores at 18, and four entries in all count as common English.

The K-fifth set in numbers

• 26 matches, 22 defined; NWL2023 takes 16, ENABLE 15 and Collins all 26.
• 19 end in S and three in Y.
• 13 contain EEK, from CREEKS to THEEKS.
• Four are common: CHEEKS, CHEEKY, EUREKA and GREEKS.
• CHEEKY leads at 18; KOPEKS and PUKEKO reach 16.

6-letter words with E as the 4th letter and K as the 5th letter

The S ending is the default. CHEEKS, GREEKS, CREEKS, SLEEKS, STEEKS, THEEKS, BREEKS, CLEEKS, GLEEKS and SMEEKS are plurals of five-letter words that already end in K.

The Y forms flip the same bases into adjectives: CHEEKY, SLEEKY and CREEKY. CREEKY is Collins-only, so CHEEKY carries the group in North American play.

The leftovers are the interesting ones. EUREKA is the only common word without EEK, PUKEKO is a Collins-only bird name, and KONEKE puts a K first as well as fifth.

Which words score best?

CHEEKY leads at 18, two clear of KOPEKS and PUKEKO on 16. CHEEKS, SAMEKH, CREEKY, HACEKS and SHMEKS reach 15, and KONEKE scores 14.

Three entries in that top group have limits. PUKEKO, CREEKY and SHMEKS are Collins-only, while KOPEKS, CHEEKY and CHEEKS are accepted by all three lists.

For 6-letter words with E as the 4th letter and K as the 5th letter, the 12.8-point average is helped by a K in every word. The cost is a heavy plural bias, since 19 of the 26 end in S, so the group is stronger for hooks than for fresh stems.