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.

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
| QUACK₂₂ | QUICK₂₂ | QUAFF₂₁ | QUAKY₂₁ | QUIFF₂₁ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QOPHS₁₉ | QUAKE₁₉ | QUALM₁₉ | QUARK₁₉ | QUIPU₁₉ |
| QUIRK₁₉ | QIBLA₁₈ | QUBIT₁₈ | QUIMS₁₈ | QUIPS₁₈ |
| QUAGS₁₇ | QUASH₁₇ | QUAYS₁₇ | QUELL₁₇ | QUERY₁₇ |
| QUEYS₁₇ | QUILL₁₇ | QUOLL₁₇ | QUOTH₁₇ | QURSH₁₇ |
| QUADS₁₆ | QUAIL₁₆ | QUALE₁₆ | QUANT₁₆ | QUEAN₁₆ |
| QUEEN₁₆ | QUERN₁₆ | QUEUE₁₆ | QUIDS₁₆ | QUILA₁₆ |
| QUILT₁₆ | QUINS₁₆ | QUINT₁₆ | QUODS₁₆ | QUOIN₁₆ |
| QADIS₁₅ | QAIDS₁₅ | QANAT₁₅ | QUAIS₁₅ | QUARE₁₅ |
| QUART₁₅ | QUASI₁₅ | QUASS₁₅ | QUATE₁₅ | QUEER₁₅ |
| QUESO₁₅ | QUEST₁₅ | QUIET₁₅ | QUIRE₁₅ | QUIRT₁₅ |
| QUITE₁₅ | QUITS₁₅ | QUOIT₁₅ | QUOTA₁₅ | QUOTE₁₅ |
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.