🪝 Scrabble Strategy Tool

Hook Words Finder

Discover front hooks and back hooks to extend existing words and score double points in Scrabble and Words With Friends

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Find hook words for Scrabble

Works with any valid Scrabble word from 2-15 letters

What Are Hook Words in Scrabble?

Understanding how to use hooks effectively separates casual players from tournament champions

In Scrabble and Words With Friends, a hook word is a valid word formed by adding a single letter to the beginning or end of an existing word already played on the board. The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary describes hooks as letters that create surprising changes in meaning or sound when attached to existing words. This technique, commonly called hooking, represents one of the most powerful scoring strategies in competitive word games because it allows you to earn points for two words simultaneously—the newly extended hook word plus whatever new word you build perpendicular to it.

The beauty of hooking lies in its efficiency. Rather than searching for an entirely new spot on the board, you leverage words your opponent has already played. When your opponent places HOST on the board, they might not realize you can add G to create GHOST—transforming a simple 4-letter word into something completely different. This element of surprise makes hooks particularly devastating in competitive play, where recognizing hook opportunities your opponent missed can swing entire games.

Tournament players from the North American Scrabble Players Association (NASPA) spend hundreds of hours memorizing hook combinations. They know that mastering hooks isn't just about vocabulary—it's about board vision, recognizing patterns instantly, and understanding which premium squares become accessible through strategic hooking. The difference between a 300-point game and a 500-point game often comes down to how effectively players exploit hooking opportunities throughout the match.

← Front Hook (Prefix Hook)
A letter added before an existing word to create a new valid word. Front hooks often catch opponents off guard because players naturally focus on word endings. Classic examples include: G + HOST = GHOST, S + WORD = SWORD, A + MAZE = AMAZE, and T + RAIN = TRAIN.
Back Hook (Suffix Hook) →
A letter added after an existing word to form a new word. Back hooks are more common since English frequently uses suffixes for plurals and verb tenses. Examples include: RAIN + S = RAINS, WORD + Y = WORDY, STAR + E = STARE, and PLAY + S = PLAYS.
Parallel Play Example: Score for Both Words!
W
O
R
D
S
H
O
O
K

Playing SHOOK while hooking S onto WORD creates WORDS—you score for both!

Try These Popular Hook Words

Click any word below to discover its front and back hooks instantly

How to Score Big with Hook Words

The real power of hooking comes from scoring multiple words in a single turn

Understanding why hooks are so valuable requires grasping Scrabble's fundamental scoring mechanics. When you place tiles that form multiple words simultaneously, you score for every word created. A hook letter that extends an existing word while also serving as part of your new perpendicular word essentially earns points twice. This scoring multiplier effect becomes even more dramatic when your hook letter lands on premium squares like DLS, TLS, DWS, or the coveted TWS.

Consider this scenario: your opponent plays QUIVER with the Q on a double letter square. You notice the R sits adjacent to a triple word score. By adding S to make QUIVERS, you not only score for the extended word but can build a high-scoring word through that S reaching the triple word square. A single S tile, worth just one point on its own, might generate 40+ points through clever hooking and board positioning.

The strategic depth extends further when you consider parallel plays—placing an entire word alongside an existing word to create multiple two-letter combinations. If ZIT sits horizontally on the board, playing AT directly beneath forms both ZA and IT vertically. Three words scored from just two tiles placed! This advanced technique requires memorizing all valid two-letter words in the TWL or CSW dictionaries, but the scoring potential makes the effort worthwhile.

🎯 Parallel Play Strategy

Parallel plays represent hooking taken to its logical extreme. Instead of just adding one letter, you place an entire word alongside an existing word, creating multiple two-letter combinations. The key is knowing which two-letter words are valid—words like ZA, QI, XI, and JO enable high-scoring parallel plays that casual players never attempt.

A well-executed parallel play can score 50+ points with just 3-4 tiles.

💎 Premium Square Access

Front hooks often provide access to premium squares that back hooks cannot reach. When an opponent's word ends one square away from a Triple Word Score, a front hook might be your only path to that bonus. Words like LATE→PLATE or EARN→YEARN can unlock scoring opportunities invisible to players focused only on word endings.

Always scan for front hook possibilities before settling on a back hook play.

Master These High-Scoring Hook Letters

The 8-10 point tiles become devastating weapons when used as strategic hooks

J 8

J Hooks

  • JO → JOB, JOE, JOG, JOT, JOW, JOY
  • JAB → JABS
  • JAM → JAMB, JAMS
  • JAW → JAWS, JAWY
  • JET → JETS
Q 10

Q Hooks

  • QI → QIS (essential!)
  • QADI → QADIS
  • QAID → QAIDS
  • QOPH → QOPHS
  • SUQ → SUQS
X 8

X Hooks

  • AX → WAX, SAX, TAX, PAX, FAX
  • EX → HEX, REX, SEX, VEX, KEX
  • OX → BOX, COX, FOX, POX, SOX
  • XI → XIS
  • XU → XUS
Z 10

Z Hooks

  • ZA → ZAG, ZAP, ZAS, ZAX
  • ZO → AZO, DZO, ZOS
  • ZED → ZEDS
  • ZEE → ZEES
  • ZIT → ZITS

"ZO can make DZO (still a yak-cow cross – different spelling). Or for really spectacular hooking, turn STAMPED into STAMPEDE, or turn FLAMING into FLAMINGO."

Essential Two-to-Three Letter Hooks

Memorizing hooks for two-letter words forms the foundation of parallel play mastery

The Australian Scrabble Players Association maintains comprehensive lists of two-to-three letter hooks used in tournament play worldwide. Since two-letter words appear constantly in parallel plays, knowing which single letters extend them proves invaluable. The table below highlights the most strategically important combinations, particularly those involving high-value letters that maximize scoring potential when you need to place difficult tiles like Q, X, Z, and J.

Essential two-to-three letter hook combinations for Scrabble
Base Word Front Hooks Back Hooks Points
ZA — ZAG, ZAP, ZAS, ZAX 11-19
QI — QIS 12
XI — XIS 10
JO — JOB, JOE, JOG, JOT, JOW, JOY 10-13
AX FAX, LAX, PAX, RAX, SAX, TAX, WAX AXE 10-13
EX DEX, HEX, KEX, LEX, REX, SEX, VEX — 10-17
OX BOX, COX, FOX, GOX, POX, SOX, VOX OXO, OXY 10-15

Want to study all 107 valid two-letter words? Explore our Scrabble Word Lists for complete references.

Defensive Scrabble: Words That Cannot Be Hooked

Strategic players know that some words resist all hooking attempts—perfect for blocking opponents

Not every word accepts hooks, and these unhookable words serve a crucial defensive purpose. When you play a word with no valid front or back hooks near a premium square, you effectively block your opponent from easily extending it to reach that bonus. Recognizing these blockers becomes essential in tight, defensive games where board control matters as much as individual word scores. Some common examples include FRY (the plural is FRIES, not FRYS), SUCH, and RHYTHM.

Our hook finder tool actually helps identify these blockers—when a word returns "no hooks found," you've discovered a potential defensive weapon. Tournament players maintain mental lists of unhookable words specifically for late-game situations where preventing opponent access to triple word scores can determine the winner. The strategy mirrors chess endgames: sometimes the best move isn't scoring more points yourself, but preventing your opponent from scoring at all.

FRY

Plural is FRIES, not FRYS

SUCH

No valid extensions exist

RHYTHM

Consonant cluster blocks hooks

Common Hook Letter Patterns by Type

Recognizing these patterns helps you spot hook opportunities faster during gameplay

Common back hook letter patterns and their typical usage
Hook Letter Pattern Type Examples
S Plurals (most versatile) CAT→CATS, WORD→WORDS, HOOK→HOOKS
D Past tense verbs PLAY→PLAYED, HOOK→HOOKED
R Agent nouns (-ER) PLAY→PLAYER, TEACH→TEACHER
Y Adjective formation WORD→WORDY, RAIN→RAINY, SNOW→SNOWY
E Silent E / transformations STAR→STARE, GAM→GAME, RAT→RATE
N Past participles (-EN) TAKE→TAKEN, GIVE→GIVEN, BROKE→BROKEN

Frequently Asked Questions About Hook Words

What are hook words in Scrabble? ▼

Hook words are new valid words created by adding a single letter to the beginning (front hook) or end (back hook) of an existing word on the Scrabble board. For example, adding G to HOST creates GHOST, while adding S to CAT creates CATS. The strategic value lies in scoring points for both the extended word and your new perpendicular word simultaneously.

What is the difference between a front hook and back hook? ▼

A front hook adds a letter before the word (S + WORD = SWORD, A + MAZE = AMAZE), while a back hook adds a letter after the word (WORD + S = WORDS, RAIN + Y = RAINY). Front hooks are often overlooked by beginners but can be extremely valuable for accessing premium squares that back hooks cannot reach.

Why are hook words important for scoring in Scrabble? ▼

Hook words enable you to score points for two words in one turn—the extended hook word plus your new word built perpendicular to it. When your hook letter lands on premium squares like Double Letter, Triple Word, or Double Word Score, that bonus applies to both words created. A single well-placed hook can add 20-40 extra points to your turn.

What is the most common hook letter in Scrabble? ▼

S is the most versatile back hook letter since most nouns can be pluralized. However, there are only 4 S tiles in the game, making each one precious. Tournament players recommend using S only when it gains 8+ more points than alternatives. For front hooks, common letters include A, E, and U.

What is a parallel play in Scrabble? ▼

A parallel play places your word alongside an existing word, creating multiple two-letter combinations simultaneously. For example, if ZIT sits horizontally on the board, playing AT directly beneath forms ZA and IT vertically—three words scored from just two tiles. This technique requires memorizing all valid two-letter words.

Which Scrabble words cannot be hooked? ▼

Some words have no valid hooks, making them valuable for defensive play. Examples include FRY (plural is FRIES, not FRYS), SUCH, RHYTHM, and DIRNDL. Playing these unhookable words near premium squares prevents opponents from easily extending them to reach those bonuses.

How do I find hooks for high-value letters like Q, X, Z, J? ▼

High-value hooks to memorize include: Q: QI→QIS (essential). X: AX accepts WAX, SAX, TAX as front hooks; EX accepts HEX, REX, VEX. Z: ZA→ZAG, ZAP, ZAS. J: JO→JOB, JOE, JOG, JOT, JOW, JOY. These combinations let you place 8-10 point tiles strategically while creating multiple words.

Should I save S tiles for hooks in Scrabble? ▼

Generally yes—S tiles are extremely valuable because they hook onto almost any noun. With only 4 S tiles in the entire game, experts recommend using S only when it gains 8+ more points than your next best play, or when it enables a bingo (using all 7 tiles for a 50-point bonus). Never waste an S on a low-scoring play.

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