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6-letter words with P as the 1st letter and Z as the 3rd letter

6-letter words with P as the 1st letter and Z as the 3rd letter number 11, including familiar PUZZLE and high-scoring PIZAZZ.

11 wordsTop pick PUZZLEHighest score PIZAZZ 35

2 of 11 are everyday words (18%). A mix of familiar words and game-only finds.

With P in 1st place, R is the most common 3rd letter (185 words). The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.

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Best words to play first 11 · most-used first

  • PUZZLE26
  • PIZZAS26
  • PIZAZZ35
  • POZOLE17
  • PIZZAZ35
  • PAZAZZ35
  • PEZANT17
  • PIZING18
  • PUZELS17
  • PUZZEL26

Showing the top 10 of 11 words. See every valid word

All valid words 11

A to Z. Includes rare and Collins-only words. Linked tiles open the word's meaning, score and rhymes.

  • PAZAZZ35
  • PEZANT17
  • PIZAZZ35
  • PIZING18
  • PIZZAS26
  • PIZZAZ35
  • PIZZLE26
  • POZOLE17
  • PUZELS17
  • PUZZEL26
  • PUZZLE26

Highest-scoring words

Scrabble and Words With Friends points, before board bonuses
WordScrabbleWords With FriendsDictionaries
PIZAZZ3536All three
PIZZAZ3536Collins · NWL
PAZAZZ3536All three
PUZZLE2629All three
PIZZAS2627All three
PUZZEL2629Collins only
PIZING1821Collins only
POZOLE1719Collins · NWL
PEZANT1719Collins only
PUZELS1720Collins only

The pattern is P _ Z _ _ _: the first letter is fixed, the second and final three slots vary. PUZZLE and PIZZAS are the familiar matches, while PIZAZZ, PAZAZZ, and PIZZAZ are striking alternatives. All 11 appear in Collins, seven also appear in NWL2023, and five are in ENABLE, so the accepted set depends on your game’s dictionary.

6-letter words with P as the 1st letter and Z as the 3rd letter

  • The fixed pattern is P _ Z _ _ _, with 11 dictionary-listed matches.
  • PUZZLE and PIZZAS are the two common entries in this narrow group.
  • PIZAZZ, PIZZAZ, and PAZAZZ share the top Scrabble score: 35 points each.
  • Word endings vary: three matches end in E, three in Z, and two in S.
  • Seven matches have definitions; the remaining entries are less familiar.

Which matches are easiest to recognize?

Start with PUZZLE if you need a word you are likely to recognize quickly. PIZZAS is another everyday form, and both are among the group’s two common entries. The other nine are less common, so a plausible-looking spelling is not enough to settle a game entry.

The unusual spellings are also the scoring standouts. PIZAZZ, PIZZAZ, and PAZAZZ each score 35 points before any board bonuses. Their repeated Zs drive that total; PUZZLE and PIZZAS score 26 apiece. If you are choosing among known plays, check the board for a premium square before spending a Z.

The letter pattern is far narrower than many other P-and-third-letter combinations: the R-in-third-position group has 185 matches, compared with 11 here. That makes the pair of Z slots a strong filter, but it also leaves a list weighted toward rare spellings.

Dictionary coverage differs across these entries. Collins accepts all 11, while NWL2023 includes seven and ENABLE includes five. A word appearing in one list is not automatically playable in another, so check the word list used in your game.

A practical way to use the pattern

Tip

Lock P into the first slot and Z into the third, then test familiar options such as PUZZLE and PIZZAS before considering rarer spellings. For a Z-heavy play, compare PIZAZZ, PIZZAZ, and PAZAZZ against your board.

Questions people ask

How many six-letter words start with P and have Z as the third letter?
There are 11 matches in the tournament dictionaries covered here. The pattern is P _ Z _ _ _, with PUZZLE and PIZZAS among the familiar examples and several much rarer spellings.
Which P _ Z _ _ _ word scores the most in Scrabble?
PIZAZZ, PIZZAZ, and PAZAZZ tie for the highest score at 35 points each. Their repeated Zs make them strong raw-score plays, though the board’s letter and word bonuses still affect your final total.
Are all 11 P-and-Z words accepted in every word game?
No, dictionary coverage varies. Collins includes all 11 matches, compared with seven in NWL2023 and five in ENABLE. Check the word list for your specific game, especially before playing one of the less familiar spellings.

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