N Words: The Negation Letter and Its 4,454 Friends
N might be the most quietly important letter in English. It's the anchor of NO, NOT, NEVER, NEITHER, NONE, NOTHING, NOBODY, NOWHERE, and virtually every other negation word. Beyond negation, N starts a wide range of vocabulary that spans science (NEUTRON, NUCLEUS, NITROGEN), nature (NEST, NIGHT, NORTH), and everyday life (NAME, NEWS, NUMBER). What makes N tactically interesting for word games is its even distribution across word lengths. Unlike letters that cluster at one size, N-starters spread almost uniformly from 5 to 12 letters, which means N is useful whether you're filling a short crossword slot or building a Scrabble bingo.
Two facts about N that help in word games. First, N is one of the most common consonants in English — it ranks sixth in overall letter frequency — but it's only worth 1 point in Scrabble. That low value means N tiles accumulate on your rack fast. Knowing plenty of N-starters (NAB, NAG, NAP, NET, NIL, NIT, NOB, NOD, NOR, NUB, NUN, NUT) keeps your rack moving. Second, the prefix NON- is a crossword constructor's best friend. NONFICTION, NONVERBAL, NONSENSE — these long NON- words fill grid slots predictably, and the NON- prefix is always followed by a recognizable base word, making them solvable even with few crossing letters. Tip: if your crossword answer starts with N and has 9+ letters, try NON- before anything else.
For the other letters that dominate everyday vocabulary, explore words starting with S and words starting with C. N-starters also pair well with words ending in G where -ING forms connect naturally to N vocabulary. And for a letter with similar Scrabble point value but very different character, see words starting with R.
FAQ
What N-starting words show up most in crosswords?
NODE, NEON, NICHE, NAIVE, NOBLE, and NUDGE are frequent mid-length fills. Short entries like NAP, NET, NIT, NUB, and NUN appear in grids constantly. For themed puzzles, NOCTURNE, NAUTICAL, and NITROGEN come up regularly. Constructors favor N-starters because N crosses smoothly with most consonants and all vowels. Compare with words starting with R for another consonant that creates clean crossword crossings.
How do I handle excess N tiles in Scrabble?
Play short words: NA, AN, EN, IN, ON, and UN are all valid two-letter plays involving N. Three-letter dumps include NAN, NIN, NON, and NUN, which each use two N tiles. If you're holding three N tiles, exchange rather than force a weak play. The dual-N words help, but three is usually too many to work with productively. For vowel-excess strategies, see words starting with A and words starting with I.
Is N a strong Wordle letter?
Very strong, but not as a starting letter. N is the fourth most common letter in Wordle answers overall, but it appears far more often in positions 2-5 than at the start. NIGHT, NOBLE, and NERVE have been answers, but you'll get more mileage testing N in the middle or end of your guess. Words like STERN, PLANT, and ALONE test N in its most frequent positions. For the best Wordle starting letters, see words starting with C and words starting with S.
Two-Letter Words (4)
Three-Letter Words (35)
Four-Letter Words (108)
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