K Words: The Viking Letter That Keeps on Scoring
K owes its place in English to the Vikings. Old English mostly used C for the /k/ sound, but Scandinavian settlers reintroduced K through loanwords, and it stuck. Today, K starts 1,857 dictionary words and carries a 5-point value in Scrabble — right in the productive middle ground between common letters and the premium tiles. What makes K especially playable is the KN- cluster: KNIFE, KNEE, KNOCK, KNIT, KNOT, KNOW. The K is silent in modern English (we stopped pronouncing it around the 1600s), but in word games, those silent-K words are everywhere and easy to spell. Crossword constructors lean on them heavily because the KN pattern creates useful grid constraints.
Beyond the silent-K words, K-starters pull from a remarkable range of languages. KARATE and KIMONO are Japanese, KARMA and KHAKI are from Hindi/Urdu, KAYAK is Inuit, KIBBUTZ is Hebrew, and KETCHUP likely comes from Chinese (via Malay). This multilingual heritage means K-starters cover a wide spread of topics — food, clothing, culture, geography — making them frequent crossword answers regardless of the puzzle's theme. Here's a practical detail: K words peak in the 6-to-7 letter range, with 337 and 338 words respectively. That's a dense cluster of mid-length words perfect for Scrabble bingos and standard crossword fill.
Player tip: KA is a valid two-letter Scrabble word (the spirit double in Egyptian mythology, worth 6 points) and it's one of the most efficient short plays for a 5-point tile. When the board is crowded, KA slotted parallel to an existing word can net 15-20 points with minimal effort. For other strong mid-value letters, try words starting with J and words starting with V. Crossword solvers should pair K knowledge with words ending in ING — KICKING, KISSING, KEEPING, KILLING are all common fills. Also see words starting with Y for another letter with surprising depth.
FAQ
Why is the K silent in KNIFE, KNEE, and KNOCK?
It wasn't always silent. In Old and Middle English, the K in KN- words was fully pronounced — "kuh-NIFE" and "kuh-NEE." The pronunciation shifted around the 17th century when speakers started dropping the K sound before N. The spelling stayed frozen, which is why we still write the K today. You'll find similar historical quirks in words starting with Y, where Y's dual vowel-consonant role traces back to Greek.
What are the best short K words for Scrabble?
KA (6 points) is the standout two-letter play. For three letters, KAB, KAE, KAF, KAT, KEA, KEN, and KEY are all solid. KAB is a Hebrew unit of measure, KEA is a New Zealand parrot, and KAF is a Hebrew letter. These short words are critical when the board tightens up. See words starting with J for similarly useful three-letter plays with another high-value tile.
Is KAYAK a good Wordle guess?
No — KAYAK has two repeated letters (K and A), which wastes information in Wordle where you want to test as many unique letters as possible. KNELT, KNACK, or KNOWN are better K-starting guesses because they test more distinct consonants. That said, K isn't an ideal starting letter for Wordle openers. Use it in round two or three after eliminating common letters. Try words starting with E or words starting with A for stronger opening guesses.
Two-Letter Words (2)
KAKI
Three-Letter Words (29)
KABKAEKAFKASKATKAYKEAKEFKEGKENKEPKEXKEYKHIKIDKIFKINKIPKIRKISKITKOAKOBKOIKOPKORKOSKUEKYE
Four-Letter Words (130)
KAASKABSKADIKAESKAFSKAGUKAIFKAILKAINKAKAKAKIKALEKAMEKAMIKANAKANEKAONKAPAKAPHKARNKARTKATAKATSKAVAKAYOKAYSKBARKEASKECKKEEFKEEKKEELKEENKEEPKEETKEFSKEGSKEIRKELPKELTKEMPKENOKENSKENTKEPIKEPSKEPTKERBKERFKERNKETOKEYSKHAFKHANKHATKHETKHISKIBEKICKKIDSKIEFKIERKIFSKIKEKILLKILNKILOKILTKINAKINDKINEKINGKINKKINOKINSKIPSKIRKKIRNKIRSKISSKISTKITEKITHKITSKIVAKIWIKLIKKNAPKNARKNEEKNEWKNITKNOBKNOPKNOTKNOWKNURKOANKOASKOBO
and 30 more — use the solver above to search
Five-Letter Words (220)
KABABKABARKABOBKADISKAFIRKAGUSKAIAKKAIFSKAILSKAINSKAKASKAKISKALAMKALESKALIFKALPAKAMESKAMIKKANASKANESKANJIKANZUKAONSKAPASKAPHSKAPOKKAPPAKAPUTKARATKARMAKARNSKAROOKARSTKARTSKASHAKATASKAURIKAURYKAVASKAYAKKAYOSKAZOOKBARSKEBABKEBARKEBOBKECKSKEDGEKEEFSKEEKSKEELSKEENSKEEPSKEETSKEEVEKEFIRKEIRSKELEPKELIMKELLYKELPSKELPYKELTSKEMPSKEMPTKENAFKENCHKENDOKENOSKENTEKEPISKERBSKERFSKERNEKERNSKERRYKETCHKETOLKEVELKEVILKEXESKEYEDKHADIKHAFSKHAKIKHANSKHAPHKHATSKHEDAKHETHKHETSKHOUMKIANGKIBBEKIBBIKIBEIKIBESKIBLAKICKSKICKY
and 120 more — use the solver above to search
Six-Letter Words (295)
KABABSKABAKAKABALAKABARSKABAYAKABIKIKABOBSKABUKIKAFFIRKAFIRSKAFTANKAHUNAKAIAKSKAINITKAISERKAKAPOKALAMSKALIANKALIFSKALIPHKALIUMKALMIAKALONGKALPACKALPAKKALPASKAMALAKAMIKSKAMSINKANAKAKANBANKANJISKANTARKANZUSKAOLINKAONICKAPOKSKAPPASKAPUTTKARATEKARATSKARMASKARMICKAROOSKAROSSKARROOKARSTSKASBAHKASHASKASHERKATIONKAURISKAVASSKAYAKSKAYLESKAYOEDKAYOESKAZOOSKEBABSKEBARSKEBBIEKEBLAHKEBOBSKECKEDKECKLEKEDDAHKEDGEDKEDGESKEEKEDKEELEDKEENEDKEENERKEENLYKEEPERKEEVESKEFIRSKEGGEDKEGGERKEGLERKELEPSKELIMSKELOIDKELPEDKELPIEKELSONKELTERKELVINKENAFSKENDOSKENNEDKENNELKENTESKEPPEDKEPPENKERBEDKERFEDKERMESKERMISKERNEDKERNEL
and 195 more — use the solver above to search
Seven-Letter Words (338)
KABAKASKABALASKABAYASKABBALAKABIKISKABUKISKACHINAKADDISHKAFFIRSKAFTANSKAHUNASKAINITEKAINITSKAISERSKAJEPUTKAKAPOSKALENDSKALIANSKALIMBAKALIPHSKALIUMSKALMIASKALONGSKALPACSKALPAKSKAMALASKAMPONGKAMSEENKAMSINSKANAKASKANBANSKANTARSKANTELEKAOLINEKAOLINSKARAKULKARAOKEKARATESKARROOSKARSTICKARTINGKASBAHSKASHERSKASHMIRKASHRUTKATCINAKATHODEKATIONSKATSURAKATYDIDKAURIESKAYAKEDKAYAKERKAYOINGKEBBIESKEBBOCKKEBBUCKKEBLAHSKECKINGKECKLEDKECKLESKEDDAHSKEDGINGKEEKINGKEELAGEKEELINGKEELSONKEENERSKEENESTKEENINGKEEPERSKEEPINGKEESTERKEGELERKEGGERSKEGGINGKEGLERSKEGLINGKEISTERKEITLOAKELLIESKELOIDSKELPIESKELPINGKELSONSKELTERSKELVINSKENCHESKENNELSKENNINGKENOSISKENOTICKEPPINGKERAMICKERATINKERBINGKERCHOOKERFINGKERMESSKERNELS
and 238 more — use the solver above to search
Eight-Letter Words (327)
KABALISMKABALISTKABBALAHKABBALASKABELJOUKACHINASKAFFIYAHKAFFIYEHKAILYARDKAINITESKAISERINKAJEPUTSKAKEMONOKAKIEMONKALAMATAKALEWIFEKALEYARDKALIFATEKALIMBASKALLIDINKALYPTRAKAMAAINAKAMACITEKAMIKAZEKAMPONGSKAMSEENSKANGAROOKANTELESKAOLIANGKAOLINESKAOLINICKARAKULSKARAOKESKAROSSESKARTINGSKARYOTINKASHEREDKASHMIRSKASHRUTHKASHRUTSKATAKANAKATCHINAKATCINASKATHODALKATHODESKATHODICKATSURASKATYDIDSKAVAKAVAKAVASSESKAYAKERSKAYAKINGKAZACHKIKAZACHOKKAZATSKIKAZATSKYKEBBOCKSKEBBUCKSKECKLINGKEDGEREEKEELAGESKEELBOATKEELHALEKEELHAULKEELLESSKEELSONSKEENNESSKEEPABLEKEEPINGSKEEPSAKEKEESHONDKEESTERSKEFFIYAHKEFFIYEHKEGELERSKEGLINGSKEIRETSUKEISTERSKEITLOASKELOIDALKENNELEDKENNINGSKENOTRONKEPHALINKERAMICSKERATINSKERATOIDKERATOMAKERATOSEKERCHIEFKERMESSEKERMISESKERNELEDKERNELLYKERNITESKEROGENSKEROSENEKEROSINEKERPLUNKKERYGMAS
and 227 more — use the solver above to search
Nine-Letter Words (240)
KABALISMSKABALISTSKABBALAHSKABBALISMKABBALISTKABELJOUSKADDISHESKADDISHIMKAFFIYAHSKAFFIYEHSKAILYARDSKAIROMONEKAISERDOMKAISERINSKAISERISMKAKEMONOSKAKIEMONSKALAMATASKALANCHOEKALEWIVESKALEYARDSKALIFATESKALIPHATEKALLIDINSKALSOMINEKALYPTRASKAMAAINASKAMACITESKAMIKAZESKANAMYCINKANGAROOSKAOLIANGSKAOLINITEKARABINERKARATEISTKARYOGAMYKARYOLOGYKARYOSOMEKARYOTINSKARYOTYPEKASHERINGKASHRUTHSKATABATICKATAKANASKATCHINASKATHARSESKATHARSISKAVAKAVASKAYAKINGSKAZILLIONKEDGEREESKEELBOATSKEELHALEDKEELHALESKEELHAULSKEEPSAKESKEESHONDSKEFFIYAHSKEFFIYEHSKEIRETSUSKENNELINGKENNELLEDKENOSISESKENOTRONSKENTLEDGEKEPHALINSKERATITISKERATOMASKERATOSESKERATOSICKERATOSISKERATOTICKERCHIEFSKERFLOOEYKERFUFFLEKERMESSESKERNELINGKERNELLEDKEROSENESKEROSINESKERPLUNKSKERYGMATAKETAMINESKETOGENICKETONEMIAKETONURIAKEYBOARDSKEYBUTTONKEYNOTERSKEYNOTINGKEYSTONESKEYSTROKEKHAKILIKEKHALIFATEKHAMSEENSKHEDIVIALKIBBITZEDKIBBITZERKIBBITZESKIBBUTZIM
and 140 more — use the solver above to search
Ten-Letter Words (126)
KABBALISMSKABBALISTSKAIROMONESKAISERDOMSKAISERISMSKALANCHOESKALIPHATESKALLIKREINKALSOMINEDKALSOMINESKANAMYCINSKAOLINITESKAOLINITICKARABINERSKARATEISTSKARYOLOGICKARYOLYMPHKARYOSOMESKARYOTYPEDKARYOTYPESKARYOTYPICKAZATSKIESKAZILLIONSKEELHALINGKEELHAULEDKEENNESSESKEESHONDENKENNELLINGKENSPECKLEKENTLEDGESKERATINIZEKERATINOUSKERATOMATAKERCHIEFEDKERCHIEVESKERFUFFLESKERNELLINGKERPLUNKEDKERSEYMEREKERYGMATICKETONEMIASKETONURIASKETTLEDRUMKEYBOARDEDKEYBOARDERKEYBUTTONSKEYPUNCHEDKEYPUNCHERKEYPUNCHESKEYSTROKEDKEYSTROKESKHALIFATESKIBBITZERSKIBBITZINGKIBBUTZNIKKICKBOARDSKICKBOXERSKICKBOXINGKICKSTANDSKICKSTARTSKIDNAPPEESKIDNAPPERSKIDNAPPINGKIESELGUHRKIESELGURSKIESERITESKILDERKINSKILOCURIESKILOCYCLESKILOJOULESKILOLITERSKILOLITRESKILOMETERSKILOMETRESKILOPARSECKILOPASCALKIMBERLITEKINDLESSLYKINDLINESSKINDNESSESKINEMATICSKINESCOPEDKINESCOPESKINETICISTKINETOSOMEKINGCRAFTSKINGFISHERKINGFISHESKINGLINESSKINGMAKERSKINGSNAKESKITCHENETSKITTIWAKESKIWIFRUITSKLEBSIELLAKLUTZINESSKNACKERIESKNACKWURSTKNAPSACKEDKNEECAPPED
and 26 more — use the solver above to search
Eleven-Letter Words (77)
KALLIKREINSKALSOMININGKARYOGAMIESKARYOLOGIESKARYOLYMPHSKARYOTYPINGKEELHAULINGKERATINIZEDKERATINIZESKERATITIDESKERATITISESKERPLUNKINGKERSEYMERESKETOGENESESKETOGENESISKETOSTEROIDKETTLEDRUMSKEYBOARDERSKEYBOARDINGKEYBOARDISTKEYPUNCHERSKEYPUNCHINGKEYSTROKINGKIBBUTZNIKSKICKBOXINGSKICKSTARTEDKIESELGUHRSKILLIFISHESKILOCALORIEKILOGAUSSESKILOHERTZESKILOPARSECSKILOPASCALSKIMBERLITESKINDHEARTEDKINEMATICALKINESCOPINGKINESIOLOGYKINESTHESESKINESTHESIAKINESTHESISKINESTHETICKINETICALLYKINETICISTSKINETOCHOREKINETOPLASTKINETOSCOPEKINETOSOMESKINGFISHERSKINKINESSESKITCHENETTEKITCHENWAREKITSCHIFIEDKITSCHIFIESKITTENISHLYKLEBSIELLASKLEPTOMANIAKNACKWURSTSKNEECAPPINGKNICKKNACKSKNIFEPOINTSKNIGHTHOODSKNOBKERRIESKNOCKABOUTSKNOCKWURSTSKNOTGRASSESKNOWINGNESSKNUCKLEBALLKNUCKLEBONEKNUCKLEHEADKOLKHOZNIKIKOLKHOZNIKSKOMONDOROCKKOOKABURRASKOOKINESSESKWASHIORKORKYMOGRAPHIC
Twelve-Letter Words (35)
KALEIDOSCOPEKARYOKINESESKARYOKINESISKARYOKINETICKARYOLOGICALKATZENJAMMERKERATINIZINGKERATOPLASTYKETOSTEROIDSKEYBOARDISTSKICKSTARTINGKILOCALORIESKINDERGARTENKINDLINESSESKINESTHESIASKINETOCHORESKINETOPLASTSKINETOSCOPESKINGLINESSESKINNIKINNICKKITCHENETTESKITCHENWARESKITSCHIFYINGKLEPTOMANIACKLEPTOMANIASKLUTZINESSESKNEECAPPINGSKNIGHTLINESSKNOTTINESSESKNUCKLEBALLSKNUCKLEBONESKNUCKLEHEADSKREMLINOLOGYKWASHIORKORSKYMOGRAPHIES
Thirteen-Letter Words (19)
KAFFEEKLATSCHKALEIDOSCOPESKALEIDOSCOPICKAPELLMEISTERKATZENJAMMERSKINDERGARTENSKINDERGARTNERKINDHEARTEDLYKINEMATICALLYKINESIOLOGIESKINNIKINNICKSKITTENISHNESSKLEPTOMANIACSKNICKERBOCKERKNOWINGNESSESKNOWLEDGEABLEKNOWLEDGEABLYKNUCKLEBALLERKNUCKLEHEADED
Fourteen-Letter Words (12)
KAPELLMEISTERSKARYOTYPICALLYKERATINIZATIONKERATINOPHILICKERATOPLASTIESKINDERGARTENERKINDERGARTNERSKNICKERBOCKERSKNIGHTLINESSESKNUCKLEBALLERSKREMLINOLOGIESKREMLINOLOGIST
Fifteen-Letter Words (7)
KAFFEEKLATSCHESKERATINIZATIONSKINDERGARTENERSKINDHEARTEDNESSKINESTHETICALLYKITTENISHNESSESKREMLINOLOGISTS