Complete Guide: Words With Q But No U in Scrabble
Drawing the Q tile in Scrabble is one of those moments that can swing a game in either direction. Worth 10 points on its own, the Q is the highest-value single tile alongside Z. But if you cannot play it, you are stuck holding a 10-point penalty at the end of the game. The traditional problem is that Q almost always requires U in English -- but not in Scrabble. There is a small but critical set of Q-without-U words that every serious player must commit to memory.
For a complete searchable list of all words containing Q, visit our words containing Q tool page.
The Essential Q-Without-U Words
2-Letter Words
QI is the single most important Q-without-U word. It is the only valid 2-letter Q word, making it playable in extremely tight board positions. On a triple-letter square under the Q, it scores 31 points. Combined with a parallel play, QI routinely generates 20 to 40 points. If you learn only one word from this list, make it QI.
3-Letter Words
4-Letter Words
5-Letter Words
6-Letter Words and Beyond
Scoring Strategy With Q-No-U Words
- Triple Letter on Q: QI with Q on a triple-letter square scores 31 points. QOPH with Q on triple-letter scores 38 points.
- Double Word squares: QI crossing a double-word square scores 22 points before counting any parallel words formed.
- Parallel plays: Because QI is only two letters, it fits alongside almost any existing word. If you form QI while simultaneously creating two or three additional 2-letter words, your total can reach 40 to 50 points easily.
- Late-game deployment: Holding the Q late can be risky, but if you have memorized these words, you can confidently keep it knowing you have multiple outs.
Tips for Remembering Q-No-U Words
Group them by origin to make memorization easier. The QA- words (QADI, QAID, QANAT, QAT) come from Arabic. QOPH is Hebrew. SUQ is also Arabic. TRANQ is a common English abbreviation. QI is from Chinese. MBAQANGA is Zulu. Knowing the cultural context helps the words stick in memory.