The letter Q is often seen as the biggest challenge in word games like Wordle , but it’s actually your best chance to score huge points. Most players get stuck holding a ‘Q’ because they are waiting for a ‘U’, but knowing the right 5-letter words starting with Q can help you clear your rack and take the lead. In this guide, we’ve put together a specialized list of 5-letter words starting with Q. To help you win your next match, we’ve included the Words With Friends point values as a small subscript next to each word.

5 Letter Words starting with Q - 1

Highest Scoring 5 Letter Word Starting With Q

In most games, Q is worth a whopping 10 points. If you can pair it with other high-value consonants, your score will skyrocket. Here are the three best 5-letter words starting with Q for big points:

  • QUACK₂₂ – The ultimate ‘Q’ word. It uses the C (4 points) and the K (5 points) alongside the 10-point Q to reach a massive 22 points.
  • QUICK₂₂ – Just like quack, this is a 22-point powerhouse. It’s a common word that is easy to spot and even easier to play for a win.
  • QUAFF₂₁ – If you have a couple of F tiles (4 points each), this is the word for you. It hits for 21 points and is recognized by almost all competitive dictionaries.

5 Letter Words List starting with Q

QUACK₂₂QUICK₂₂QUAFF₂₁QUAKY₂₁QUIFF₂₁
QOPHS₁₉QUAKE₁₉QUALM₁₉QUARK₁₉QUIPU₁₉
QUIRK₁₉QIBLA₁₈QUBIT₁₈QUIMS₁₈QUIPS₁₈
QUAGS₁₇QUASH₁₇QUAYS₁₇QUELL₁₇QUERY₁₇
QUEYS₁₇QUILL₁₇QUOLL₁₇QUOTH₁₇QURSH₁₇
QUADS₁₆QUAIL₁₆QUALE₁₆QUANT₁₆QUEAN₁₆
QUEEN₁₆QUERN₁₆QUEUE₁₆QUIDS₁₆QUILA₁₆
QUILT₁₆QUINS₁₆QUINT₁₆QUODS₁₆QUOIN₁₆
QADIS₁₅QAIDS₁₅QANAT₁₅QUAIS₁₅QUARE₁₅
QUART₁₅QUASI₁₅QUASS₁₅QUATE₁₅QUEER₁₅
QUESO₁₅QUEST₁₅QUIET₁₅QUIRE₁₅QUIRT₁₅
QUITE₁₅QUITS₁₅QUOIT₁₅QUOTA₁₅QUOTE₁₅

If you want to find out words starting with other letters, you can check our Master List of 5-Letter Words to find every word from A to Z!

Tips for Winning With “Q” Words

  • In Wordle: Don’t fear the Q . While ‘Q’ almost always needs a ‘U’ in Wordle, it’s a great way to eliminate rare letters. If you have a yellow ‘Q’, try words like EQUIP₁₈ or QUITE₁₅ to check the vowel placement around it.
  • In Words With Friends: Learn the “Q-without-U” words. Words like QADIS₁₅ , QAIDS₁₅ , and QANAT₁₅ are legal in most competitive dictionaries. These are “cheats” that let you play a Q even when you don’t have a U tile!
  • The ‘K’ Combo: As you can see from our top scorers, Q and K are a match made in heaven. If you have both, QUACK₂₂ or QUICK₂₂ should be your immediate goal.

So that’s it, peeps! Use these “Q” words to leave your friends in the dust.