6-letter words with F as the 4th letter and L as the 5th letter

Half the matches end in -E and half in -Y, a cleaner split than most double-letter patterns. The -Y group is dominated by winged words such as GADFLY, MAYFLY, BARFLY and SAWFLY. WAFFLY leads the scores at 18, and the whole set averages 13.6 points.

6-letter words with F as the 4th letter and L as the 5th letter

• All 32 matches put F and L side by side in slots four and five.
• The final letter splits exactly: 16 matches end in E and 16 in Y.
• Eight of the -Y words are fly words, from GADFLY and MAYFLY to MEDFLY.
• WAFFLY tops the scores at 18; MAYFLY follows on 17.
• Only two matches are common: RAFFLE and WAFFLE.

Why the Y endings score higher

The Y ending adds four points of its own, so the fly words collect more than the -FLE group. WAFFLY leads at 18, MAYFLY holds 17, and DAYFLY and DEFFLY sit on 16. SAWFLY, MEDFLY, RUFFLY and NAFFLY follow at 15, keeping the -Y half consistently ahead.

The -E half is led by WAFFLE and YAFFLE on 15, with RAFFLE, TRIFLE, STIFLE, RUFFLE, BAFFLE and DUFFLE close behind. Crossword solvers get the best value from WAFFLE and RAFFLE, the two common words, plus MAYFLY when a clue points at an insect.

The fly words hiding in the list

Eight matches are compounds built on -FLY: GADFLY, MAYFLY, BARFLY, SAWFLY, BOTFLY, MEDFLY, OUTFLY and DAYFLY. They sit alongside the adjective forms DEFFLY, NAFFLY, NAIFLY and PURFLY, which describe manner rather than an insect. That double duty is why the -Y ending looks so productive here.

Check your word list before you play the rarer forms, since DEFFLY, NAFFLY, NAIFLY, PURFLY and POFFLE sit in Collins alone. The everyday half is small: just RAFFLE and WAFFLE count as common, though WAFFLE, TRIFLE and STIFLE are all familiar enough for a crossword.