7-letter words with C as the 3rd letter and D as the 5th letter

The pattern fixes two positions while leaving the first, fourth, sixth, and final letters open. Only four matches rank among common English words, so familiar examples stand out from a mostly specialist pool. Dictionary coverage differs too: Collins accepts 51 matches, while ENABLE accepts 45.

A quick read on the pattern

• The pattern has 52 matches across the tournament dictionaries counted here.
• Decided, decades, and encoded are recognizable words with the required letters.
• A begins 11 matches; D is next, starting 9.
• S finishes 17 matches, more often than any other final letter.
• Just four entries rank as common English words, so expect plenty of obscure options.

Which matches bring the biggest tile scores?

JACKDAW leads the scoring examples at 24 points, with JOCKDOM at 23. EXCIDED scores 18, but decided and decades are easier to recognize.

MACADAM scores 14, and FACADES scores 13. A large raw total does not guarantee the best board play: premium squares and available hooks affect the move, while an unfamiliar entry still has to fit your game's dictionary.

JACKDAW's high score is a sharp contrast with the pattern's everyday vocabulary: only four matches are common, yet the top scorer is a less familiar choice. Keep a recognizable fallback in mind if your game rejects a high-value candidate.

How do game dictionaries differ?

Collins lists 51 matches, NWL2023 lists 48, and ENABLE lists 45. The combined count is 52, which means no single dictionary contains every match in the combined set.

Neighboring patterns show how much one fixed letter can change the search: replacing D in the fifth position with I yields 279 matches, while putting A in the third position instead of C yields 108. Check your game's word list before playing an unfamiliar candidate.

Which final letters appear most often?

S is the leading ending, with 17 matches; D follows at 12, then R at 8. Examples show the spread: decades and facades end in S, decided ends in D, and decider ends in R. The pattern has no single ending, but S is the strongest place to start when testing a final-letter clue.