7-letter words with D as the 3rd letter and S as the 6th letter

Locking D into the third spot and S into the sixth creates a compact pattern with a mix of familiar words and specialist entries. ADDRESS, MADNESS, and SADNESS are easy to recognize; CODFISH and KADDISH show how varied the remaining letters can be. Only 10 matches rank among common English words, so expect plenty of less familiar options as you scan.

At a glance: the D-and-S pattern

• Exactly 77 tournament-dictionary words fit the seven-letter pattern.
• ADDRESS, ENDLESS, and PODCAST are among the familiar examples.
• M starts the most matches, with 11; B follows with 10 and R with 9.
• T is the most frequent final letter, appearing at the end of 26 words.
• H and S tie for second among endings, with 19 words each.

Which words score highest?

CODFISH, KADDISH, KIDDUSH, MUDFISH, and KIDDISH lead the scoring list at 16 points apiece. FADDISH, BADMASH, JUDOIST, and BUDMASH follow at 15, while REDFISH scores 14. Those unusual letter combinations are worth checking when a rack gives you a chance to build across a premium square.

The average score is 11.2, so the top entries stand out rather than representing the whole group. Familiar choices such as ADDRESS or PODCAST may come to mind first, but the highest scorers include less everyday vocabulary. Keep a legal play and a high tile total as separate goals: the strongest score depends on your board position, not just the word.

How dictionary coverage shapes the list

The 77 matches are accepted by at least one of ENABLE, Collins, or NWL2023, not necessarily all three. Collins contains 72 of them, NWL2023 contains 68, and ENABLE contains 54. Check your game's word list before relying on an unfamiliar entry, especially for tournament play.

A useful clue-solving shortcut is to test likely endings early: T, H, and S together account for most of the final-letter profile. Then check the remaining slots against examples such as REDDISH, REDRESS, or UNDRESS. The 7-letter words with D third and S sixth include only 10 common entries, so a less familiar match can still be valid.