5 Letter Words with O as 1st and S as 3rd Letter

What the Words Have in Common

The second box is most often N as in ONSET, A as in OASIS and U as in OUSTS. The last box is most often S, T and N. A few of these entries are rarer words that mostly appear in Scrabble and other word games, so check them against your word list.

The Most Familiar Words on This Page

Start with ONSET, OASIS, OASES, ONSEN and OUSTS. They are the easiest to recognise, which makes them safe tests.

Useful five-letter words

• ONSET
• OASIS
• OASES
• ONSEN
• OUSTS

What the Letter Pair Tells You

The pair mixes a vowel with a consonant, which gives the words a natural, easy to pronounce rhythm, as in ONSET, OASIS and OASES. Most of the familiar words have a vowel in the second box. The fifth box is most often S, T and N, which makes it the quickest place to settle the ending.

How to Narrow It Down

The second box is the biggest unknown, and N, A and U are the strongest letters to test. If the second letter comes back grey, move to the ending and try S in the fifth box. The fixed O and S do a lot of the work, so spend your guesses on the three open boxes. For a wider view, see 5 letter words starting with O and 5 letter words with S as the 3rd letter.

Playing This Pattern in Word Games

In Scrabble, O is worth one point and S is worth one point. Knowing words such as ONSET, OASIS and OASES helps you use both tiles quickly when they land on your rack.