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Q words without U

NWL2023 has 62 words with a Q that is never followed by a U. The ones worth learning first are QI, QAT, QIS and SUQ, then the 4-letter words QADI, QAID, QOPH and CINQ.

The short ones to learn first

The Q is worth 10 points, and there is only one in the bag. Most players hold it waiting for a U, which often never comes. These short words let you play it straight away:

  • QI
  • QAT
  • QIS
  • SUQ
  • CINQ
  • QADI
  • QAID
  • QOPH

QI is one of the most played words in competitive Scrabble. It fits almost anywhere next to an I, and on a triple-letter square the Q alone scores 30 points.

What they mean

You don’t need to know a meaning to play a word, but it helps them stick, and it settles challenges.

QI
life energy, in Chinese philosophy
QAT
a shrub whose leaves are chewed as a stimulant, also spelled KHAT
SUQ
an Arab marketplace, also spelled SOUK
CINQ
the number five in dice or cards
QADI
a judge in Islamic law
QAID
a Muslim leader or chief
QOPH
a letter of the Hebrew alphabet
BURQA
a full-body covering worn by some Muslim women
FAQIR
a holy man, also spelled FAKIR
NIQAB
a face veil
QAJAQ
a kayak
QANAT
an underground irrigation channel
QAPIK
a coin of Azerbaijan
QIBLA
the direction of Mecca, faced in prayer
TRANQ
informal for a tranquilizer
UMIAQ
an open Inuit boat
BUQSHA
a former unit of money in Yemen
QABALA
a mystical Jewish tradition, also spelled KABBALAH
QIGONG
a Chinese system of breathing and movement exercises
QINDAR
a unit of Albanian money
QIVIUT
the soft underwool of the musk ox
QWERTY
the standard keyboard layout
SHEQEL
a unit of Israeli money
QAMUTIK
an Inuit sled, also spelled KAMOTIQ
QAWWALI
Sufi devotional music
MBAQANGA
a style of South African popular music

Every Q-without-U word, by length

This list counts every word in which Q is not immediately followed by U, so it includes words such as SUQ, BURQA and QIVIUT that have a U elsewhere in the word. Plurals and variant spellings are counted as separate words.

2 letters (1)

  • QI

3 letters (3)

  • QAT
  • QIS
  • SUQ

4 letters (6)

  • CINQ
  • QADI
  • QAID
  • QATS
  • QOPH
  • SUQS

5 letters (13)

BURQA, CINQS, FAQIR, NIQAB, QADIS, QAIDS, QAJAQ, QANAT, QAPIK, QIBLA, QOPHS, TRANQ, UMIAQ

6 letters (18)

BUQSHA, BURQAS, FAQIRS, NIQAAB, NIQABS, QABALA, QAJAQS, QANATS, QAPIKS, QIBLAS, QIGONG, QINDAR, QINTAR, QIVIUT, QWERTY, SHEQEL, TRANQS, UMIAQS

7 letters (13)

BUQSHAS, KAMOTIQ, NIQAABS, QABALAH, QABALAS, QAMUTIK, QAWWALI, QIGONGS, QINDARS, QINTARS, QIVIUTS, QWERTYS, SHEQELS

8 letters (7)

KAMOTIQS, MBAQANGA, QABALAHS, QAMUTIKS, QAWWALIS, QINDARKA, SHEQALIM

9 letters (1)

MBAQANGAS

Playing the Q

  • Learn QI, QAT, QIS and SUQ first. Between them they cover most Q plays without a U.
  • Watch the I tiles. There are nine. As long as one is on the board with space beside it, QI is available.
  • Don’t hold the Q to the end. If it is still on your rack when someone goes out, you lose 10 points and they gain 10. An exchange is often better.
  • Plurals count. QIS, QATS, SUQS and QADIS are all valid, so an S can hook onto these words later.

For other high-value letters, see short J, X and Z words. For every short word, see two-letter words.

NWL2023 and Collins

This list follows NWL2023, the NASPA Word List used in the US and Canada, and the 62 words here are all valid in Collins as well. Collins Scrabble Words has 103 Q-without-U words, so 41 are Collins-only, among them QIN, QORMA, TALAQ, WAQF, FIQH and GUQIN. See the UK list of 103 Q words without U. Agree on the word list before you start.

Checked against two independent sources: WinEveryGame’s NWL23 list (62 words) and the Merriam-Webster Scrabble word finder, which agree on every word that has no U elsewhere in it. QI, QAT, QIS, SUQ, CINQ, QADI, QAID, QOPH and SUQS also appear on the cross-tables.com NWL23 Cheat Sheet. Words added to the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary after NWL2023 may not be valid in club play.

Common questions

Is QI a word in Scrabble?

Yes. QI is valid in NWL2023 and in Collins. It means life energy in Chinese philosophy, and its plural QIS is valid too.

How many Q words without U are there in NWL2023?

There are 62 words in NWL2023 in which Q is not followed by U. That counts plurals and variant spellings as separate words.

What are the best Q words without U to learn first?

Start with QI, QAT, QIS and SUQ, then QADI, QAID, QOPH and CINQ. They are short and easy to place, and they cover most situations.

Is QIN a word in the US?

No. QIN is valid in Collins but not in NWL2023. The same goes for QORMA, TALAQ, WAQF, FIQH and GUQIN.

Is QWERTY a valid Scrabble word?

Yes. QWERTY and its plural QWERTYS are valid in NWL2023, as are SHEQEL and QIGONG.

Should I keep the Q until I draw a U?

Usually not. If the Q is stuck on your rack at the end of the game you lose 10 points and your opponent gains 10. Play QI or exchange it if there is no better option.

Last reviewed: October 2026.