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

The fixed _LE___ pattern puts L and E together near the start. C leads with 26 matches, followed by F with 24, and S is the most common ending at 55. Only 19 entries rank among common English words, leaving many unfamiliar choices beside PLEASE and CLEVER.

The L-E pattern at a glance

• 148 tournament-dictionary entries fit the six-letter L-E pattern.
• PLEASE, PLENTY, CLEVER, and ELEVEN show several familiar starting letters.
• C begins 26 matches and F begins 24; P and S follow with 20 and 19.
• S is the most common ending at 55; E and Y follow at 22 and 21.
• SLEAZY, SLEEZY, and FLECKY each score 18 points.

Which first letters lead the list?

C and F are the strongest openings, accounting for 26 and 24 matches. P contributes 20 and S contributes 19, while B and G each start 15. Examples such as CLEVER, FLEECE, PLENTY, and SLEEVE make those clusters easy to scan.

The dictionary totals differ sharply: Collins lists 147 matches, compared with 114 in NWL2023 and 109 in ENABLE. A total of 120 entries have definitions, but just 19 count as common English words. Some matches are specialist or uncommon, so check your game's word list before playing an unfamiliar one.

How to work the L-E pattern in a word game

Start with the fixed _LE___ frame, then test the opening and ending letters against your crossing clues. PLEASE, CLEANS, and BLEACH give you recognizable options; SLEAZY and FLECKY are less routine but carry strong scores.

For 6-letter words with L as the 2nd letter and E as the 3rd letter, SLEAZY is a standout at 18 points, tied with SLEEZY and FLECKY. The expert trap is assuming a familiar-looking pattern means a familiar word: only 19 entries are common, and the dictionary totals vary. Confirm the word before committing a scarce tile.