Five-letter position pattern
5 Letter Words with S as 1st and O as 3rd Letter
Stuck on a grid that starts with S and has O in the middle? These words are the likeliest fits. S is the busiest opener of all, with blends such as ST, SH, SP and SM, as in STORY, SHORT and SPACE. O in the third box is very common and sits in the middle of everyday words.
247matching five-letter words
Five-letter words with S in the 1st and O in the 3rd position
- saola
- scoad
- scobs
- scody
- scoff
- scogs
- scoke
- scolb
- scold
- scomm
- scone
- scoog
- scoon
- scoop
- scoot
- scopa
- scope
- scops
- score
- scorn
- scote
- scots
- scoug
- scouk
- scoup
- scour
- scout
- scove
- scovy
- scowl
- scowp
- scows
- seora
- seoul
- sfoot
- shoad
- shoal
- shoat
- shock
- shode
- shoed
- shoer
- shoes
- shogi
- shogs
- shoji
- shola
- shole
- shone
- shood
- shooi
- shook
- shool
- shoon
- shoop
- shoor
- shoos
- shoot
- shope
- shops
- shore
- shorl
- shorn
- short
- shote
- shots
- shott
- shout
- shove
- showd
- shown
- shows
- showy
- shoya
- shoyu
- skoal
- skoff
- skols
- skool
- skoot
- skort
- skosh
- skout
- sloan
- sloat
- slobs
- slock
- sloes
- slogs
- sloid
- slojd
- sloka
- sloke
- slone
- slonk
- sloom
- sloop
- sloot
- slope
- slops
- slopy
- slorm
- slorp
- slosh
- slote
- sloth
- slots
- slour
- slove
- slows
- sloyd
- smock
- smogs
- smoke
- smoko
- smoky
- smolt
- smook
- smoor
- smoot
- smore
- smote
- smous
- smout
- smowt
- snobs
- snock
- snods
- snoek
- snoep
- snoga
- snogs
- snoke
- snood
- snook
- snool
- snoop
- snoot
- snore
- snork
- snort
- snots
- snout
- snowk
- snowl
- snows
- snowy
- sooey
- sooks
- sooky
- soole
- sools
- sooms
- soony
- soops
- soord
- soote
- sooth
- soots
- sooty
- spode
- spods
- spoil
- spoke
- spoky
- spole
- spong
- spoof
- spook
- spool
- spoom
- spoon
- spoor
- spoot
- spore
- spork
- sport
- sposh
- spots
- spout
- ssort
- stoae
- stoai
- stoas
- stoat
- stobs
- stock
- stoep
- stoff
- stoga
- stogy
- stoic
- stoit
- stoke
- stola
- stold
- stole
- stoln
- stoma
- stomp
- stond
- stone
- stong
- stonk
- stonn
- stony
- stood
- stoof
- stook
- stool
- stoon
- stoop
- stoor
- stoot
- stopa
- stope
- stops
- stopt
- store
- stork
- storm
- story
- stosh
- stoss
- stots
- stott
- stoun
- stoup
- stour
- stout
- stove
- stown
- stowp
- stows
- swobs
- swoln
- swonk
- swoon
- swoop
- swops
- swopt
- sword
- swore
- sworn
- swosh
- swots
- swoun
What the Words Have in Common
After the opening S, look for T as in STORY, H as in SHORT and P as in SPORT. For endings, look for RE as in STORE and UT as in SHOUT.
Words to Try First
STORY, SHORT, SHOWS, STORE and STOCK are the entries you are most likely to meet. SHOWN, SCORE and STONE are worth keeping in reserve.
Useful five-letter words
- STORY
- SHORT
- SHOWS
- STORE
- STOCK
What the Letter Pair Tells You
The pair mixes a consonant with a vowel, which gives the words a natural, easy to pronounce rhythm, as in STORY, SHORT and SHOWS. Most of the familiar words have a consonant in the second box. The fifth box is most often E, T and S, which makes it the quickest place to settle the ending.
Quick Strategy for This Pattern
The second box is the biggest unknown, and T, H and P are the strongest letters to test. If the second letter comes back grey, move to the ending and try E in the fifth box. The fixed S and O 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 O as the 3rd letter.
Scrabble and Other Word Games
In Scrabble, S is worth one point and O is worth one point. Knowing words such as STORY, SHORT and SHOWS helps you use both tiles quickly when they land on your rack.
Frequently asked questions
What does O as the third letter tell me
O in the third box is very common and sits in the middle of everyday words. STORY is a good example.
Which letters usually come second in words with S first and O third
T, H and P are the usual choices, as in STORY, SHORT and SPORT. Testing one of them in the second box is the quickest way to narrow the list.
What should I guess first for this pattern
STORY is a strong first choice, because it is a familiar word that also tests R, T and Y in the three open boxes.