6-letter words with J as the 1st letter and T as the 3rd letter

The second letter splits JET- into eight matches and JOT- into four, with JIT- taking two and single JAT- and JUT- words completing the set. JETWAY tops the scores at 19, ahead of JATAKA on 17. None counts as common English, yet every one carries a definition.

The J-T frame by the numbers

• 16 matches, and the second letter splits 8 E, 4 O, 2 I, 1 A and 1 U.
• JETWAY scores 19; JATAKA follows on 17 and JITNEY on 16.
• All 16 score at least 13 points, on a 14.3 average.
• Endings scatter: D and N close three each, M, R, S and Y two each.
• None is a common word, though all 16 have definitions.

The JET-, JOT- and JIT- families

JETLAG, JETSAM, JETWAY, JETTON, JETSON, JETTED, JETONS and JETSOM give JET- eight members, the largest run here. JOTTED, JOTTER, JOTUNS and JOTUNN supply four JOT- spellings, JITTER and JITNEY add two JIT-, and JATAKA and JUTTED stand alone.

The vowel split is the useful part. A clue that fixes T in third place but leaves the second tile open still has only 16 candidates, and the vowel you guess decides JET- versus JOT- versus JIT- at once.

Scores and scattered endings

JETWAY leads on 19 with a W and Y, JATAKA reaches 17 on two K tiles, and JITNEY takes 16 on a Y. JETSAM, JETSOM, JETTED, JOTTED, JETLAG and JUTTED all land on 14 or 15, so the field sits high but tight.

Endings help less: D and N close three words each, then M, R, S and Y tie on two, so there is no dominant final tile as in most six-letter patterns. Collins carries all 16, NWL2023 keeps 12 and ENABLE 10; check your game's word list before a JATAKA play.