Why X Is the Most Underrated Tile in Scrabble
At 8 points in Scrabble and Words With Friends, X is the third-highest-value tile in the game. But unlike Q (which desperately needs a U) or Z (which gets all the attention), X quietly delivers massive scores through short, flexible words that fit almost any board position. If you master X words, you’ll have a consistent scoring weapon that most opponents overlook.
The Two-Letter X Words That Change Everything
XI (9 pts) — The 14th letter of the Greek alphabet. This two-letter word is a game-changer. It fits virtually anywhere on the board, scores 9 points minimum, and enables devastating parallel plays. On a triple letter square for the X, XI alone scores 25 points.
XU (9 pts) — A Vietnamese monetary unit. Valid in both TWL and SOWPODS. Less commonly known than XI, but equally useful for tight board positions.
AX (9 pts) — Simple, common, and effective. Also playable as AXE for 10 points when you have the extra E.
EX (9 pts) — A former partner. Short, sweet, and universally known. Works well as a hook — you can extend it to APEX, EXEC, EXAM, EXIT, and dozens more.
OX (9 pts) — The animal. Can be extended to OXEN, OXBOW, OXIDE, OXYGEN. A great word to place strategically for future hook plays.
Essential Short X Words (3-4 Letters)
These are the words you’ll use most frequently in actual gameplay:
WAX (13 pts), TAX (10 pts), FAX (13 pts), SAX (10 pts), MAX (12 pts), HEX (13 pts), REX (10 pts), VEX (13 pts), MIX (12 pts), FIX (13 pts), SIX (10 pts), BOX (12 pts), FOX (13 pts), POX (12 pts) — All common English words that use everyday tiles. Having this list memorized means you can almost always play X productively.
APEX (13 pts), AXLE (11 pts), EXAM (13 pts), EXPO (13 pts), FLUX (14 pts), JINX (18 pts), LYNX (14 pts), ONYX (14 pts), ORYX (14 pts), TAXA (11 pts) — Slightly longer but still compact. JINX is especially valuable at 18 base points using two high-value tiles.
X Words Worth 20+ Points
When you need to make a big play:
OXLIP (14 pts), EXACT (14 pts), EXPAT (14 pts), EXTRA (12 pts) — Solid 5-letter words using common tiles alongside X.
EXCLAIM (18 pts), EXPLAIN (16 pts), EXPLORE (16 pts), EXTREME (16 pts) — Longer words that are bingo candidates when you have the right tiles. Any 7-letter word using all your tiles earns the 50-point bonus, turning these into 66+ point plays.
OXIDIZE (24 pts) — Uses both X and Z for a massive base score. On premium squares, this can easily exceed 100 points.
Unusual X Words for Competitive Play
These lesser-known words can surprise opponents and save you in difficult tile situations:
XIS (10 pts) — Plural of XI. Valid and useful when you need to pluralize.
ZAX (19 pts) — A tool for cutting roofing slates. Combines X and Z for a huge score from just three tiles.
OXBOW (16 pts) — A U-shaped bend in a river. Uses common tiles and scores well.
EXURB (14 pts) — A region beyond the suburbs. Useful when you’re stuck with U and R.
IXTLE (12 pts) — A plant fiber. Unusual but valid in TWL and helpful when you have too many consonants.
PHLOX (17 pts) — A flowering plant. High-scoring and uses the PH combination effectively.
ADMIX (15 pts) — To mix something in. Short, uncommon, and scores well.
Strategic Tips for Playing X
X loves premium squares more than any other tile. Because X is worth 8 points, placing it on a double letter (16) or triple letter (24) score amplifies its value dramatically. A simple XI with X on a triple letter is 25 points from two tiles.
Use X as a hook tile. Many words ending in X can be extended: AX→AXE→AXED→AXEL, BOX→BOXER→BOXED, WAX→WAXY→WAXED→WAXEN. And words can be hooked onto X: EX→HEX→APEX.
X works in both directions. Unlike many high-value tiles, X appears at the beginning, middle, and end of words. XRAY uses it first, HEXED uses it in the middle, and RELAX uses it last. This flexibility means there’s almost always somewhere to play it.
Don’t overlook -AX and -OX endings. TAX, WAX, FAX, MAX, SAX, LAX, RAX — and BOX, FOX, POX, SOX, VOX. These endings cover so many common letter combinations that you can usually play X within one or two turns of drawing it.
X pairs well with vowels. AX, EX, OX, XI, XU — X connects to every vowel in at least one two-letter word. If your rack is vowel-heavy, X is actually easier to play, not harder.
Looking for the perfect X word for your rack? Enter your letters into our Word Unscrambler to instantly find every X word available to you.
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Sumit
Word Game Enthusiast & Content Lead
Sumit is the founder of WordUnscrambler.tips and an avid word game player with over a decade of experience in Scrabble tournaments and daily Wordle solving. He combines his passion for language with technical expertise to build tools that help players improve their game.