6-letter words with F as the 1st letter and E as the 6th letter

Every match opens with F and closes with E, so the ends are fixed and the middle carries the variation. Twenty-seven finish in -LE, fourteen in -IE, and nine in -NE, while O, A and I each fill the second slot at least 17 times. Forty-one of the 101 end in -LE or -IE.

How the F-E words divide

The final E is a given, so the fifth letter does the work. L fills it in 27 matches, I in 14, N in 9, and S, R and A in 7 each.

That gap makes the -LE family the biggest: fizzle, fuzzle, fiddle, fumble, feeble, fickle and finale. The -IE group is smaller but just as friendly: foodie, folkie, faerie, fundie, footie and fastie.

F starts every word, but the second letter travels widely, with O, A and I all near the top.

High scores and common words

• Fizzle and fuzzle top the list at 27 points each on their doubled Z.
• Fixive reaches 19, and freeze, frieze and foozle hit 18.
• Twenty of the 101 matches are common words.
• The average lands at 11, held down by the cheap F, E and L tiles.
• Fleece, fridge and fringe all score between 12 and 14.

F-E words for everyday play

The common core is strong. Future, figure, female, finale, fridge, fierce, fringe, finite, famine, futile and feline all read instantly.

Nine matches end in -NE, among them famine, feline and flange, and a handful more close in -RE or -ME.

Collins carries all 101 matches, NWL2023 73 and ENABLE 71, so the gap between tournament lists is wide at this length.

Two entries carry a doubled Z, fizzle and fuzzle, and no other match tops 19.