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

Middles and Endings

The second box is most often P as in SPITE, W as in SWING and L as in SLIDE. Many of them close with NG as in SWING and NE as in SHINE.

Words to Try First

STILL, SMITH, STICK, SMILE and SHIRT are the best known words that fit, so they make sensible first guesses. SHIFT, SHIPS and SKILL are worth keeping in reserve.

Useful five-letter words

• STILL
• SMITH
• STICK
• SMILE
• SHIRT

Pattern Notes

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

Quick Strategy for This Pattern

Begin with P, W and L in the second box, because they open the largest groups. If the second letter comes back grey, move to the ending and try E in the fifth box. The fixed S and I 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 S and 5 letter words with I as the 3rd letter.

Playing This Pattern in Word Games

In Scrabble, S is worth one point and I is worth one point. Knowing words such as STILL, SMITH and STICK helps you use both tiles quickly when they land on your rack.