6-letter words with I as the 2nd letter and O as the 4th letter

The pattern is _I_O__, leaving the first, third, fifth, and sixth positions open. The list is broader than familiar everyday vocabulary: only 3 entries fall among the commonest English words, while 96 have definitions. PILOTS, MINORS, and WIDOWS are recognizable plural forms, while KIMONO and DISOWN show the pattern beyond plurals; a known final S is a strong narrowing clue, and 54 of the 112 entries end there.

Counts, endings, and strong plays at a glance

• There are 112 matches across the tournament lists; Collins has 108, NWL2023 has 82, and ENABLE has 75.
• 54 of 112 end in S, far ahead of E at 12 and A or D at 6 apiece.
• BIJOUX leads Scrabble scoring at 22 points; VIZORS earns 18, while QIGONG, BIZONE, and ZIPOLA each score 17.
• Just 3 entries qualify as common by frequency, despite 96 entries having definitions.

6-letter words with I as 2nd and O as 4th

Among the 112 matches, P is the most frequent first letter with 15; B follows at 11, while D, R, and V each start 10. PILOTS and PIVOTS are familiar examples from that leading group.

At the other end, 54 finish with S, compared with 12 ending in E; six each end in A or D. O, T, and Y appear at the end of four words apiece, so a known final S narrows the search sharply.

The matching E-second/O-fourth pattern has 254 results, versus 112 here. Keeping I and O fixed but changing length gives 79 five-letter matches and 134 seven-letter matches. Sort by the final tile first; S accounts for the largest ending group.

Which words score most, and what should you watch for?

BIJOUX takes the top Scrabble score at 22, with VIZORS at 18 and QIGONG, BIZONE, and ZIPOLA tied at 17. They stand above the 9.8 average, though premium squares and cross-words change a board score. KIBOSH scores 15, while RIPOFF and TIPOFF score 14.

Word familiarity is a real constraint: only 3 entries are common, though 96 have definitions. Tournament acceptance also differs: Collins counts 108 matches, NWL2023 82, and ENABLE 75. Check your game's word list before committing to a less familiar play such as QIGONG or ZIPOLA.