7-letter words with P as the 2nd letter and D as the 5th letter

The frame is _P__D__, but the opening letter is unusually concentrated: 20 of 29 entries begin with S. SPINDLE, SPANDEX, SPENDER, and SPEEDER give you recognizable routes through the pattern, while the other entries start with A, E, O, or U. Only one match is common by frequency, so expect plenty of tournament vocabulary beyond the familiar examples.

At a glance: the shape of this letter pattern

• The pattern has 29 matches in Collins, 20 in NWL2023, and 19 in ENABLE.
• S leads the opening-letter count with 20 words; A follows with three.
• E and S tie as the most frequent final letters, with six words each.
• SPANDEX scores 17 points, ahead of SPLodgy at 14.
• Just one entry ranks among the top 25,000 English words by frequency.

How do you narrow down the _P__D__ pattern?

Start by testing SP- combinations: SPINDLE, SPINDLY, SPANDEX, and SPENDER all fit, but their third and fourth letters differ. That makes the fifth-position D especially valuable as a fixed anchor; don’t assume the remaining letters form one repeated ending.

The opening S accounts for 20 entries, leaving nine that begin with A, E, O, or U. Examples include APSIDAL, EPHEDRA, OPCODES, and UPENDED. The contrast is striking: changing the second letter from P to O yields 111 seven-letter matches with D fifth, compared with 29 here.

This is a narrow pattern, not a list of everyday vocabulary: only one match falls within the top 25,000 English words by frequency. The dictionary totals also differ, from 19 in ENABLE to 29 in Collins, so check your game's word list before relying on a less familiar entry.

Which matching words score the most?

• SPANDEX leads at 17 points; its X gives it a clear edge over the other listed scorers.
• SPLodgy scores 14, while SPINDLY, EPHEDRA, APHIDES, and SPONDYL each score 13.
• SPEEDUP, OPCODES, OPPIDAN, and SPUDDED each score 12.
• For a board play, weigh the letter score against premium squares; the score alone does not account for board placement.