7-letter words with P as the 2nd letter and D as the 3rd letter

Lock in _PD____, then check the first tile: all 12 matches begin U, making U the hidden extra constraint. The set mixes familiar forms such as UPDATED, UPDATES, and UPDATER with less common entries including UPDARTS and UPDRIED. Only 2 qualify as common, so this clue is much narrower than the two fixed middle letters suggest.

At a glance: the P-D pattern

• There are 12 tournament-dictionary matches for the P-D positions.
• Every word begins U, although the clue does not specify its first letter.
• Six matches end in S, while three end in D.
• UPDIVED tops the Scrabble scores at 14 points.
• Only 2 of the 12 matches are classed as common.

Why do all 12 words start with U?

All 12 matches start U because each begins with UPD, not because the clue fixes the first position. The opening narrows your search immediately: once P and D are confirmed in slots two and three, test U in slot one before cycling through other letters.

UPDATED, UPDATES, and UPDATER are the most recognizable family here; UPDRAFT gives a different ending after UPD. The remaining examples—UPDARTS, UPDIVED, UPDIVES, UPDRAGS, UPDRAWN, UPDRAWS, UPDRIED, and UPDRIES—show how much the final four letters vary.

That distinction matters for a crossword or letter rack: the known P-D pair does not require an initial P, and every match uses U as its lead letter.

7-letter words with P as the 2nd letter and D as the 3rd letter

Six entries end in S: UPDATES, UPDIVES, UPDRAWS, UPDRAGS, UPDARTS, and UPDRIES. Three end in D: UPDATED, UPDIVED, and UPDRIED. The other matches end in T, R, or N: UPDRAFT, UPDATER, and UPDRAWN; use the final tile as a quick filter when crossing letters are available.

UPDIVED scores 14, ahead of the 13-point group of UPDRAFT, UPDIVES, UPDRAWN, and UPDRAWS; the average score is 11.6. Collins lists all 12, while NWL2023 and ENABLE each list 9. Only 2 are classed as common, so check your game's word list rather than assuming every entry is everyday vocabulary.