7-letter words with V as the 1st letter and E as the 7th letter

This is one of the friendlier V lists: 11 of the 80 are everyday words, and six tails cover more than half the list. -ATE leads with 14 words, followed by -AGE with 9. Know those and you can name most answers from the fourth letter alone.

The V-to-E pattern in numbers

• Size: 80 words, all valid in Collins; NWL2023 and ENABLE each list 63.
• Everyday words: 11, from VILLAGE, VEHICLE and VISIBLE to VULTURE.
• Top scorer: VANDYKE at 18, then VEHICLE and VOUCHEE at 15.
• Average score: 11.6 points.
• Biggest tails: -ATE 14, -AGE 9, -BLE 6, then -URE, -OSE and -INE with 5 each.

Which endings are most likely to fit?

-ATE holds 14, including VIOLATE, VIBRATE and VULGATE. -AGE holds 9, and four of those are everyday: VANTAGE, VILLAGE, VINTAGE and VOLTAGE.

-BLE adds VISIBLE, VOCABLE and VOLUBLE, while -URE adds VENTURE, VULTURE and VERDURE. Add -OSE and -INE and the six tails total 44 words, more than half of the 80.

The openings are spread out more evenly. VER-, VEN- and VAL- each begin 6 of the 80 words, and VOL- and VIT- begin 5 each, so a known second and third letter trims the list quickly. Pair that with a tail from above and you are usually down to one or two words.

What are the best-known V words ending in E?

The 11 everyday words are VILLAGE, VEHICLE, VISIBLE, VENTURE, VINTAGE, VAMPIRE, VOLTAGE, VACCINE, VIOLATE, VANTAGE and VULTURE. Nearly all are nouns, which makes them easy to picture when you are stuck on a clue.

VEHICLE scores 15 on tile values, the highest among them, with VAMPIRE and VACCINE both at 14. Play all seven tiles from the rack and the 50-point bingo bonus applies on top.

Where the pattern stops being useful