6-letter words with N as the 1st letter and U as the 5th letter

The 17-match set is smaller than nearby patterns: C in the first slot with U fifth has 86 matches, while P has 68. No entry falls among the common words tracked here, although 10 have definitions. NIMBUS stands out from specialist forms such as NOYAUX and NEBBUK.

6-letter words with N as the 1st letter and U as the 5th letter

• Exactly 17 words match N-first, U-fifth positions.
• Eight end in S; L and M appear twice each as final letters.
• Collins includes 16 entries, compared with six in NWL2023 and three in ENABLE.
• NOYAUX leads scoring at 16 points; NEBBUK and NICKUM each score 14.
• All 17 are tournament-dictionary entries, but none qualifies as common.

Why are there only 17 matches?

The two fixed slots sharply narrow the set: only 17 matches, compared with 86 for C-first/U-fifth and 68 for P-first/U-fifth. That makes the N pattern a tight filtering clue, not a broad word bank. If one known letter is misplaced, compare those larger patterns before exhausting guesses.

The endings are lopsided: S closes eight words, while L and M close two apiece; A, K, R, T, and X each occur once. NIMBUS, NOCTUA, and NAEVUS show three different endings, but most entries won't resemble everyday vocabulary. Keep the fifth slot fixed when testing candidates.

Score leaders and practical limits

NOYAUX leads at 16 points, while NEBBUK and NICKUM tie at 14; NIMBUS, NOBBUT, and NIKAUS each score 10. The mean across the set is 9.5, so a few high-value tiles lift the average.

For 6-letter words with N as the 1st letter and U as the 5th letter, the main limitation is playability: none is common, and some entries are specialist vocabulary. Check your game's word list before committing; Collins lists 16, NWL2023 six, and ENABLE three.

Standard English Scrabble values explain NOYAUX's lead: X is worth eight points and Y four, giving those two tiles 12 of its 16 points. N, O, A, and U supply the remaining four.