Q Words Without U
The complete list of valid Q-without-U words for Scrabble, Words With Friends and other tile-based word games — every one is accepted in TWL and/or SOWPODS, so you can play them with confidence.
How to use this list
Drawing a Q without a U on your rack is usually good news, not bad. Memorise the short entries first — QI, QAT and QOPH alone will rescue almost any Q-heavy rack. The longer entries are worth knowing for the bonus-square bingos that come along once a game.
The words (24)
| Word | Score | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| QI | 11 | The vital life force in Chinese philosophy; the highest-value 2-letter Scrabble play. |
| QAT | 12 | Variant spelling of khat, a leafy shrub whose leaves are chewed as a stimulant. |
| QIS | 12 | Plural of qi. |
| QADI | 14 | A Muslim judge who interprets and administers religious law. |
| QAID | 14 | A Muslim tribal chief, judge, or senior official. |
| QATS | 13 | Plural of qat. |
| QOPH | 18 | The 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. |
| FAQIR | 17 | A Muslim or Hindu ascetic religious mendicant. |
| QADIS | 15 | Plural of qadi. |
| QAIDS | 15 | Plural of qaid. |
| QANAT | 14 | A gently sloping underground irrigation tunnel used in arid regions. |
| QOPHS | 19 | Plural of qoph. |
| TRANQ | 14 | Informal shortening of tranquiliser. |
| FAQIRS | 18 | Plural of faqir. |
| QANATS | 15 | Plural of qanat. |
| QINDAR | 16 | Variant spelling of qintar. |
| QINTAR | 15 | A monetary unit of Albania, equal to one-hundredth of a lek. |
| SHEQEL | 18 | The primary monetary unit of Israel. |
| TRANQS | 15 | Plural of tranq. |
| QINTARS | 16 | Plural of qintar. |
| MBAQANGA | 22 | A style of South African popular dance music with a strong Zulu influence. |
| QINDARKA | 22 | Plural of qindar. |
| SHEQALIM | 22 | Plural of sheqel. |
| MBAQANGAS | 23 | Plural of mbaqanga. |
Frequently asked questions
Are Q-without-U words allowed in Scrabble?
Yes. Every word on this page is valid in the standard tournament Scrabble dictionaries (TWL and/or SOWPODS), so it can be played in Scrabble, Words With Friends and most competitive word games.
What is the best short Q-without-U word to know?
QI is the essential one — a 2-letter, 11-point play (before bonuses) that fits almost any rack with a Q and an I, and lets you dump the Q without needing a U.
Do these words work in Words With Friends?
Almost all of them do. Words With Friends uses its own dictionary that overlaps heavily with SOWPODS, so QI, QAT, QOPH, QADI, QAID, QANAT, QINTAR, FAQIR and TRANQ are safe plays there too.
What is the highest-scoring Q-without-U word?
MBAQANGA scores 24 points on its own tiles and, at 8 letters, has a strong chance of hitting a bonus square for a 50-point bingo bonus on top.
Keep learning
Browse every curated word list or jump straight to the Scrabble word finder .