Word Finder by Letters
Pattern-match with ? and * across the whole dictionary.
Use Word Finder when you have a rack of letters, a fixed puzzle pattern, or a word-game situation that needs more than a simple prefix or suffix search. Letters mode finds words that can be made from your available letters, including blanks. Pattern mode matches a fixed-length pattern where ?, _, or . stands for one unknown letter. You can choose a compact game list or a broader dictionary and optionally show Scrabble and Words With Friends scores. The tool does not model a board, premium squares, hooks, or regex-style patterns.
Part of: Pattern & Puzzle Solvers
Game list: a compact public-domain word list commonly used for casual Scrabble and Words With Friends play. Full list: a broader English dictionary including archaic, technical, and proper-noun words.
Letters mode: find every word you can spell from the letters you have. Use ? as a blank tile.
How to use
- Choose Letters mode when you have a rack or bag of available letters.
- Use ? in Letters mode for blank tiles and set min/max length as needed.
- Choose Pattern mode when each position is known or unknown, using ?, _, or . for one unknown letter.
- Choose Game list or Full list based on whether you want compact game-style output or broader vocabulary.
- Turn on scores when Scrabble and Words With Friends point values help you compare candidates.
Examples
What users are actually trying to do
- ▸ Finding words from a Scrabble-style rack, including blanks.
- ▸ Solving fixed-position word patterns with unknown letters.
- ▸ Comparing Scrabble and Words With Friends point values for candidates.
- ▸ Checking possible crossword answers when length and some letters are known.
- ▸ Practicing anagram and pattern-recognition skills without modeling the board.
Common mistakes
- ! Using Pattern mode with the wrong number of characters.
- ! Expecting * to work as a variable-length wildcard.
- ! Assuming point values include board bonuses.
- ! Using Letters mode when a fixed-position crossword pattern is needed.
- ! Expecting proper nouns, acronyms, slang, or board hooks.
Before you use the result
Word tools can narrow options, clean text, or show patterns, but they do not know the rules of every puzzle, class assignment, publication style, or house dictionary. Check the result against the context where you plan to use it.
For learning, review why a result matched instead of copying the first answer. That keeps the tool useful as practice, not only lookup.
Limitations
- · Pattern wildcards are single-character only: ?, _, or .
- · Star wildcards, regex quantifiers, and character classes are not supported.
- · The tool does not model premium squares, board placement, hooks, or parallel plays.
- · Proper nouns, acronyms, and abbreviations are not included.
- · Letters mode does not provide a separate must-include constraint.
Next up
Frequently asked questions
› How does Word Finder find words from letters? How-to
Letters mode checks which dictionary words can be formed from your available letters in practical word-search and vocabulary work. It respects the selected length range and can use ? as blank tiles. Results are sorted by length in Letters mode, which helps you find longer candidates first.
› What is the difference between Letters mode and Pattern mode? Comparison
Letters mode rearranges available letters, while Pattern mode matches fixed positions in practical word-search and vocabulary work. Use Letters for racks and anagrams; use Pattern for crosswords, Wordle-style blanks, or known letter slots. Pattern wildcards are single-character placeholders, not regex symbols.
› Can I use wildcards in Word Finder? Edge case
Yes, but the wildcard behavior depends on the mode you choose when the rule and dictionary match. In Letters mode, ? represents a blank tile from your rack. In Pattern mode, ?, _, and . each match one unknown letter. Star wildcards and regex quantifiers are not supported.
› Are Word Finder results valid for Scrabble or Words With Friends? Trust & accuracy
Game list mode uses a compact word-game list, but board legality still depends on the game. The tool can show point values, yet it does not check board placement, hooks, premium squares, or tournament-specific dictionary changes. Treat it as a candidate finder.
› Why did Pattern mode return no words? Troubleshooting
Pattern mode only checks words with the exact same length as your pattern in practical word-search and vocabulary work. A four-character pattern cannot match a five-letter word, and each wildcard covers exactly one letter. Check the pattern length, fixed letters, and selected dictionary list before assuming no word exists.
› Should I use Word Finder or Words Containing? Comparison
Use Word Finder when letters can move or positions are partly unknown for practical word study and puzzle work. Use Words Containing when you need an exact adjacent sequence inside a word. The tools answer different questions, so switching between them often solves a puzzle faster.
Tips & related reading
See the Pattern & Puzzle Solvers hub →Tips & how-tos
Relevant links
Related tools
Scrabble Word Finder
Rank playable Scrabble-style words from your rack with standard tile values, optional blanks, and one optional plays-through board letter.
Words With Friends Word Finder
Rank Words With Friends-style word candidates from your rack using WWF tile values, optional blanks, and one optional board letter.
Word Unscrambler
Unscramble letters into valid English words using your exact rack, optional blank tiles, length filters, and a compact or full dictionary.