6-letter words with N as the 3rd letter and A as the 6th letter

Locking in N at position three and A at the end leaves 64 six-letter candidates. The set ranges from familiar words such as CANADA, CINEMA, BANANA, and SONATA to specialist entries such as ZINNIA and ZONULA. Only 11 matches count as common by wordfreq, so treat the familiar examples as a starting point rather than a promise that every candidate will feel everyday.

At a glance: 6-letter words with N third and A last

• All 64 matches end in A, so the final tile is settled before you scan.
• CANADA, CINEMA, BANANA, and SONATA are recognizable examples.
• C and M lead the first-letter counts with 9 words each; S follows with 8.
• Only 11 matches fall into the common-word group.
• ZINNIA, ZENANA, ZANANA, and ZONULA each score 15.

Which words fit the pattern, and which lists accept them?

The source split is uneven: 63 matches appear in Collins, 51 in NWL2023, and 45 in ENABLE. Those are overlapping sets, not three separate piles. Collins covers nearly all 64, while an NWL game excludes some Collins entries, so check your game's word list before committing to an unfamiliar form.

CANADA and CINEMA are easy anchors, but the set also includes place names such as GENEVA, MANILA, and PANAMA, plus words like MANTRA and TUNDRA. The 11 common entries make up only part of the pattern; many candidates are specialized or less familiar, so a valid-looking arrangement is not automatically accepted everywhere.

How should you work the fixed pattern?

Keep the frame _ _ N _ _ A visible, then test likely vowel and consonant combinations in the open spaces. CANADA and BANANA show repeated letters; CINEMA and SONATA offer different middle-letter runs. That contrast is useful when a crossing clue fixes one of the fourth or fifth tiles.

For a score-first play, ZINNIA, ZENANA, ZANANA, and ZONULA lead at 15 points apiece, while CONCHA scores 13. The average score is 9.6, so the highest scorers are clear outliers. The 6-letter words with N as the 3rd letter and A as the 6th letter include many ordinary-looking entries, but these high-value options rely on Z or less familiar vocabulary.