6-letter words with L as the 3rd letter and Y as the 5th letter
6-letter words with L as the 3rd letter and Y as the 5th letter number 25, with DELAYS and ALLOYS among the familiar matches.
3 of 25 are everyday words (12%). A mix of familiar words and game-only finds.
With L in 3rd place, E is the most common 5th letter (422 words). The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.
Best words to play first
- DELAYS10
- ALLOYS9
- RELAYS9
- ALLEYS9
- INLAYS9
- RALLYE9
- ALLAYS9
- VALKYR16
- SPLAYS11
- FOLEYS12
- COLBYS13
- BELAYS11
- ONLAYS9
- BILLYO11
- TELLYS9
- POLEYS11
- COLEYS11
- KILEYS13
- MULEYS11
- PALAYS11
- POLEYN11
- SELSYN9
- TOLUYL9
- UNLAYS9
- UPLAYS11
All valid words 25
- ALLAYS9
- ALLEYS9
- ALLOYS9
- BELAYS11
- BILLYO11
- COLBYS13
- COLEYS11
- DELAYS10
- FOLEYS12
- INLAYS9
- KILEYS13
- MULEYS11
- ONLAYS9
- PALAYS11
- POLEYN11
- POLEYS11
- RALLYE9
- RELAYS9
- SELSYN9
- SPLAYS11
- TELLYS9
- TOLUYL9
- UNLAYS9
- UPLAYS11
- VALKYR16
Highest-scoring words
| Word | Scrabble | Words With Friends | Dictionaries |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALKYR | 16 | 17 | All three |
| COLBYS | 13 | 15 | Collins · NWL |
| KILEYS | 13 | 13 | Collins only |
| FOLEYS | 12 | 12 | Collins · NWL |
| SPLAYS | 11 | 12 | All three |
| BELAYS | 11 | 12 | All three |
| BILLYO | 11 | 13 | Collins only |
| POLEYS | 11 | 12 | Collins only |
| MULEYS | 11 | 13 | All three |
| POLEYN | 11 | 13 | All three |
| COLEYS | 11 | 12 | Collins only |
| PALAYS | 11 | 12 | Collins only |
Only 25 matches fit _ _ L _ Y _, and the fifth-position Y does not force a Y ending. In fact, S closes 19 of the words, including DELAYS, ALLOYS, RELAYS, ALLEYS, INLAYS, and ALLAYS. Just three entries are classed as common, so this pattern rewards careful checking of the last letter.
Does the fifth-position Y mean the word ends in Y?
- 25 entries match L third and Y fifth; three are classed as common.
- S is the final letter in 19 matches.
- DELAYS, ALLOYS, RELAYS, ALLEYS, and INLAYS share the common -YS shape.
- VALKYR leads recorded scores at 16 points.
Which candidates fit ordinary clues?
No. S closes 19 of the 25 matches, while N, E, L, and O appear as the final letter in the remaining groups. DELAYS, ALLOYS, RELAYS, ALLEYS, INLAYS, and ALLAYS show the dominant -YS shape; VALKYR demonstrates that an S ending is not required.
That distribution is a useful correction when you solve from a partially known pattern. Keep Y fixed in slot five, then test the sixth letter separately. Only a handful of candidates use the other endings, but they are real branches rather than exceptions to erase.
Keep the sixth tile open after placing Y fifth. Test the common -YS words against the clue. Use VALKYR only when the meaning supports it.
What should you test after fixing the fifth letter?
The familiar examples cluster around words such as DELAYS, RELAYS, ALLEYS, and ALLOYS. S begins three entries, as do P and A; B, C, and R each start two. Initial-letter counts are spread thinly, so the clue meaning and final letter do more work than the first slot.
VALKYR scores 16, ahead of COLBYS and KILEYS at 13, then FOLEYS at 12. SPLAYS scores 11. The leading scorer is a specialist word, while the most recognizable candidates are mostly the -YS group; do not mistake the score order for a likely answer order.
Keep the final square separate
The fifth Y leaves the ending open; six-letter words with L third and Y fifth usually close on S.
Questions people ask
How many words have L third and Y fifth?
Do words with Y fifth usually end in S?
What is the highest-scoring match?
Keep going
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