7-letter words ending in X

X is worth 8 points, and when it closes a seven-letter word you are already most of the way to a strong play. This list is small, odd and rewarding: only 6 of the 107 words are common, but nearly every one scores well above a typical bingo.

The X-ending list in a nutshell

• 107 words end in X, and the average score is 18.3 points.
• 28 end in -BOX, such as JUKEBOX, MAILBOX and TOOLBOX.
• -OX leads the endings with 34, then -EX with 21 and -AX with 19.
• JUKEBOX scores 27, KICKBOX 26, and PACKWAX and JAMBEUX 25 each.
• P opens 14 words, C opens 13 and S opens 11.

Which two letters before the X should you try?

Start with O. Thirty-four words end in -OX, and 28 of those are -BOX compounds: SANDBOX, SHOEBOX, SOAPBOX, BOOMBOX and MAILBOX are typical. The rest of the -OX group includes paradox and equinox.

After -OX comes -EX with 21, as in complex, simplex and spandex, then -AX with 19, as in anthrax and beeswax. -IX has 16, including phoenix, and -UX has 11. The rare -NX group has only 4, among them phalanx and pharynx.

Why is a closing X such a strong bingo shape?

The tile carries the score for you. A seven-tile play earns the 50-point bonus, and the average word on this list adds 18.3 points, so a typical X bingo lands near 68.

The best ones stack heavy tiles. KICKBOX holds two Ks worth 5 each beside the X for 26 points, and JUKEBOX pairs the X with a J for 27. You do not need the exact word, either: a rack with B, O and X already points to a -BOX compound.

What should you do with a lone X on the rack?

Build to the end, not the start. The X sits on the last square, so a seven-letter play needs the word to land its final tile on a premium square or beside an open lane. A triple-letter square under the X turns its 8 points into 24.

Common words make this realistic. Only 6 of the 107 are common English, and the other 101 are the kind of find you earn from a good board read rather than from memory. If the rack is thin on vowels, a -BOX compound beats a rare -AX or -UX word.

Is every X word playable?