6-letter words with N as the 1st letter and V as the 3rd letter

Locking N into the opening slot and V into the third leaves a compact set of 13 tournament-dictionary words. NOVELS, NOVICE, NAVIES and NAVELS offer recognizable routes through the pattern, while NAVEWS and NOVITY stand out on score. Only two entries fall in the common-frequency band, so expect several less familiar forms.

At a glance: the N–V pattern

• All 13 entries have six letters, begin with N and place V third.
• NOVELS, NOVICE, NAVIES and NAVELS are among the recognizable examples.
• NAVEWS and NOVITY tie for the highest score at 12 points.
• Seven entries end in S; D and E each finish two, while A and Y each finish one.

Which 6-letter words have N first and V third?

Thirteen words fit this exact pattern. NOVELS and NOVICE are familiar footholds; NAVIES and NAVELS also look recognizable, while NOVENA offers another route. The remaining examples are NOVATE, NAVAID, NAVARS, NAVEWS, NEVELS, NEVOID, NOVITY and NOVUMS.

Dictionary coverage varies: Collins includes 12 matches, NWL2023 includes 9, and ENABLE includes 8. Those totals overlap, so they are not separate piles to add. Two words meet the common-frequency cutoff, and 11 have definitions.

How to use 6-letter words with N first and V third

Check the final slot early: S closes seven of the 13 matches, while D and E each close two. A confirmed final S narrows the pattern sharply; the other endings are A and Y.

Scoring favors a couple of less familiar choices. NAVEWS and NOVITY lead at 12 points; NOVICE and NOVUMS score 11, while NAVAID and NEVOID score 10. The average is 9.9, so the top plays sit above the set’s typical score.

Only two matches fall in the common-frequency band, even though 11 have definitions. Treat the rarer forms as a separate check from the letter pattern, and confirm your game’s word list before playing an unfamiliar entry.