Hooking with -U words
Endings like -U let you tack a word onto a tile already on the board, often turning a small play into a big one. Look for the high-value entries above to maximise points.
This list by the numbers
The shape of this list: 173 entries between 2 and 12 letters long, peaking at 7 letters with 42 words. Five-letter picks number 25 and seven-letter picks 42. Nothing here outscores KINKAJOU — 23 points from 8 tiles on plain squares.
The five biggest scorers on the page: KINKAJOU (23), JIUJITSU (22), JIUJUTSU (22), JUJITSU (21), JUJUTSU (21). The longest entry is EISTEDDFODAU at 12 letters, and the average word here is worth about 10 points. If you are fishing for these words, keep U (173 appearances), A (96) and E (65) on your rack.
Three easy picks from this list
- When the rack looks hopeless, EAU (3 letters, 3 points) is the kind of quiet play that keeps a game moving.
- LEU — a 3-letter, 3-point play that slots into tight board lanes where longer words won't fit.
- SAU earns 3 points from just 3 tiles — and it is a word few opponents will bother to challenge.
Once those stick, file away the next tier too: SOU (3), TAU (3), ULU (3), LIEU (4), LITU (4).
Back-hooking with -U
Endings are Scrabble's cheapest points. A word finishing in -U can often be built backwards from a tile already on the board, so you pay for fewer letters than you score. Scan the high scorers above, then look for a spot where the final -U lands on a premium square — the multiplier applies to your whole word, not just the hook.
More endings
Narrow it down
Pair an ending with a length or starting letter in the Word Finder.