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

The fixed pattern is _ _ Y _ _ S _, and its 32 matches range from familiar words such as STYLISH and DRYNESS to less common forms such as CHYMIST. Only two entries meet the common-word cutoff. The dictionary counts overlap: 24 appear in ENABLE, 31 in Collins, and 25 in NWL2023, so those totals should not be added together.

The pattern at a glance

• There are 32 tournament-dictionary words matching _ _ Y _ _ S _.
• The first letter is S most often, with seven matches; A follows with four.
• Fourteen matches end in S, while E and T each finish seven.
• JOYLESS, CHYMIST, and MAYBUSH each score 17 points before board bonuses.

Which endings and scores stand out?

The final S is the strongest ending pattern: 14 of the 32 words finish with it. STYLISH and JOYLESS show how that ending can pair with very different starts, while DRYNESS and SHYNESS offer another familiar route through the pattern.

The top raw scores are shared by JOYLESS, CHYMIST, and MAYBUSH at 17 points. JOYLESS is easier to recognize; CHYMIST and MAYBUSH are more specialized entries. The average score is 12.9, so the top scorers sit well above the group’s mean.

• KEYLESS and JOYLESS both combine the fixed pattern with an S ending.
• STYLISH scores 13 points, below the three 17-point leaders.
• FLYPAST and WAYPOST each score 15 points.

How should you narrow this letter pattern?

Lock Y into position three and S into position six before testing the remaining blanks. Then try familiar anchors such as STYLISH, STYLIST, DRYNESS, and SHYNESS; each reveals a different opening while preserving the same fixed letters.

For 7-letter words with Y as the 3rd letter and S as the 6th letter, do not assume every match is equally playable. Only two are classified as common, and dictionary coverage varies: 31 are in Collins, compared with 25 in NWL2023. Check your game's word list before committing to an unfamiliar option.

• Test STYLISH and STYLIST when S is the first letter.
• DRYNESS and SHYNESS show different openings with the same fixed letters.
• Try JOYLESS when the first two blanks are J and O.