Hooking with -V words
Endings like -V 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.
What the numbers say
The shape of this list: 17 entries between 3 and 9 letters long, peaking at 3 letters with 8 words. Five-letter picks number 2 and seven-letter picks 1. Nothing here outscores LEITMOTIV — 14 points from 9 tiles on plain squares.
For quick reference, the top of the score table reads: LEITMOTIV (14), MOSHAV (14), IMPROV (13), SCHAV (13), MAGLEV (12). At 9 letters, LEITMOTIV is the longest word on the list; a typical entry scores around 9. Letter-wise, V is the workhorse — it appears in 17 of these words, ahead of A (7) and E (6).
Three easy picks from this list
- GANEV is easy to keep in memory: 5 letters, 9 points, and no awkward tiles to hunt for.
- Playing LAV across a double-word square turns its base 6 points into 12 — solid value for 3 tiles.
- When the rack looks hopeless, LEV (3 letters, 6 points) is the kind of quiet play that keeps a game moving.
Round out your set with LUV (6), REV (6), TAV (6), MAGLEV (12), IMPROV (13) — all built from common tiles.
Back-hooking with -V
A reliable habit: every time you learn a new -V word, note whether it also takes a front extension. Words that extend at both ends are the ones that turn a 12-point play into a 40-point one, because you can bridge two premium squares. The top of this list — sorted by score — is where those double-duty words hide.
More endings
Narrow it down
Pair an ending with a length or starting letter in the Word Finder.