6-letter words with K as the 3rd letter and E as the 4th letter

The pattern is __KE__, leaving the first two and final two letters open. Of the 67 tournament-dictionary entries, 11 are common by frequency; likely, makeup, tokens, and upkeep are recognizable anchors. The set reaches beyond everyday vocabulary, though 59 entries have definitions.

The K-E pattern at a glance

• 67 words meet the pattern in at least one of ENABLE, Collins, or NWL2023.
• Collins has 63 matches, compared with 48 in NWL2023 and 44 in ENABLE.
• 44 entries end in S; T and Y each finish six words.
• Likely, makeup, makers, bakery, and tokens are familiar examples.
• JAKEYS leads the scoring list at 20 points; JOKERS scores 17.

How do the opening letters vary?

P starts the most matches, with seven words. A, F, L, R, and U each start five, so checking those letters first gives you several plausible routes through the pattern. B and T begin four entries apiece.

The K-third, E-fourth combination has 67 matches. By comparison, R in third position with E fourth has 197, while K with I fourth has 99 and K with A fourth has 32. A fixed pair can sharply narrow a search.

Which matches score highest?

JAKEYS scores 20 points, the highest value here. JOKERS and JAKEST each score 17, while FAKERY, PUKEKO, and FIKERY score 16. BAKERY reaches 15, making it a more familiar option among the leading scorers.

The top end comes from words containing high-value letters, not from the K-E pair itself. If a rack gives you J or another premium tile, test less familiar candidates before settling on an everyday word.

A useful limit for this pattern

For 6-letter words with K as the 3rd letter and E as the 4th letter, the main limitation is that dictionary coverage varies: Collins accepts 63 matches, but ENABLE accepts 44. Check your game's word list before building a play around an unfamiliar entry.

For a general clue, keep the middle pair fixed and compare the remaining letters against the first and last positions; likely and makeup are strong familiar checks, while the full set includes many rarer words.