6-letter words with L as the 2nd letter and D as the 3rd letter

Fourteen tournament-dictionary words fit this exact pattern, but only three are common by word frequency. Familiar OLD- forms include OLDEST, OLDIES, OLDISH, and OLDENS, and S appears far more often than any other final letter. When a puzzle fixes L and D, checking the last position quickly narrows the choices.

The pattern at a glance

• All 14 matches have L in position two and D in position three.
• A begins six words; E and O each begin four.
• Seven matches end in S; N and T each end two.
• Only three matches count as common by word frequency.
• OLDISH leads the Scrabble scoring list at 10 points; ELDING scores 8.

Which words fit L as the 2nd letter and D as the 3rd?

The opening letters split into three groups. ALDRIN, ALDERS, ALDOSE, ALDEAS, ALDERN, and ALDOLS account for A's six starts. ELDERS, ELDEST, ELDING, and ELDINS begin with E, while OLDEST, OLDIES, OLDISH, and OLDENS begin with O.

A is the only leading letter that outnumbers either of the other groups. The endings are more uneven: seven words finish in S, including OLDEST, ELDERS, ELDEST, OLDIES, and ALDERS; N and T occur twice each. E, G, and H appear once apiece.

A final S fits half the candidates and is a strong filter. OLDISH scores 10, ahead of ELDING at 8; the familiar OLD- forms OLDEST and OLDIES score 7. Check OLDISH first when you want the highest tile score.

How should you use this letter pattern?

• Use the final letter to narrow this pattern; S is the leading ending.
• Collins contains all 14 matches, while ENABLE and NWL2023 each contain 9. Check your game's word list before playing.
• Only three matches are common by frequency, so the pattern includes several less familiar choices alongside OLDEST and ELDERS.
• When scoring matters, compare OLDISH at 10 points with ELDING at 8; the board's premium squares can change a play's total.