Short words with J, Q, X and Z
J and X are worth 8 points; Q and Z are worth 10. Short words let you play them on premium squares and in two directions at once, so these lists are worth more than any other study you can do.
How to use them
- Look for the double play. A Z on a triple-letter square that makes two words scores 60 points before you count anything else.
- X is the easiest to place. AX, EX, OX, XI and XU make X fit almost anywhere next to a vowel.
- Don’t hold a Q for too long. If you can’t see a play, QI or an exchange is better than being stuck with 10 points on your rack at the end.
- Watch the triple-letter squares next to vowels. That is where these tiles score most.
J words (8 points)
Two letters
- JO
Three letters (26)
- AJI
- HAJ
- JAB
- JAG
- JAM
- JAR
- JAW
- JAY
- JEE
- JET
- JEU
- JIB
- JIG
- JIN
- JOB
- JOE
- JOG
- JOT
- JOW
- JOY
- JUG
- JUN
- JUS
- JUT
- RAJ
- TAJ
Q words (10 points)
Two letters
- QI
Three letters (4)
- QAT
- QIS
- QUA
- SUQ
X words (8 points)
Two letters (5)
- AX
- EX
- OX
- XI
- XU
Three letters (41)
- AXE
- BOX
- COX
- DEX
- DOX
- FAX
- FIX
- FOX
- GOX
- HEX
- KEX
- LAX
- LEX
- LOX
- LUX
- MAX
- MIX
- MUX
- NIX
- OXO
- OXY
- PAX
- PIX
- POX
- PYX
- RAX
- REX
- SAX
- SEX
- SIX
- SOX
- TAX
- TIX
- TUX
- VAX
- VEX
- VOX
- WAX
- XED
- XIS
- ZAX
Z words (10 points)
Two letters
- ZA
Three letters (30)
- ADZ
- AZO
- BIZ
- COZ
- CUZ
- FEZ
- FIZ
- REZ
- SEZ
- TIZ
- WIZ
- WUZ
- YEZ
- ZAG
- ZAP
- ZAS
- ZAX
- ZED
- ZEE
- ZEK
- ZEN
- ZEP
- ZIG
- ZIN
- ZIP
- ZIT
- ZOA
- ZOO
- ZUZ
- ZZZ
Q without a U
Stuck with a Q and no U? These NWL2023 words need no U after the Q. See all 62 Q words without U with meanings.
Want the four-letter words too? See the full lists of words with X, words with Z and words with J.
- QI
- QAT
- QIS
- SUQ
- CINQ
- QADI
- QAID
- QOPH
Lists are taken from the NASPA Word List 2023 (NWL2023), the list used for Scrabble clubs and tournaments in the US and Canada. The three-letter lists were extracted from the full NWL23 three-letter list on the cross-tables.com Cheat Sheet (1,085 words, matching the published NWL2023 count) and the J, X and Z lists cross-checked against WinEveryGame’s NWL23 lists. Collins Scrabble Words, the UK list, allows more, such as JA, ZE and ZO; see the UK J, Q, X and Z lists.
Common questions
How many points are J, Q, X and Z worth in Scrabble?
J and X are worth 8 points each. Q and Z are worth 10 points each.
What are the best two-letter words with J, Q, X or Z?
JO, QI, ZA, AX, EX, OX, XI and XU. These are the only two-letter words with these letters in NWL2023.
Is ZA a word in Scrabble?
Yes. ZA, informal for pizza, is valid in NWL2023. ZEN, ZAP, ZIP and ZOO are valid three-letter Z words too.
Are JA, ZE and ZO valid in the US?
No. They are valid in Collins, the UK list, but not in NWL2023. In the US, JO is the only two-letter J word and ZA the only two-letter Z word.
Is QUA a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. QUA is one of four three-letter Q words in NWL2023, with QAT, QIS and SUQ.
Which word list do these lists use?
NWL2023, the NASPA Word List, which is used for clubs and tournaments in the US and Canada. For family play, check that your Official Scrabble Players Dictionary edition matches.
Last reviewed: October 2026.