Q Without U Words: Every Valid Scrabble Play

You draw the Q, look at your rack, and there is no U anywhere. It is the most common bad moment in Scrabble. Many players either hold the Q for turns and play with six useful tiles, or swap and lose a whole turn. You do not have to do either. A short list of real words uses Q without a U, and the most useful ones are only two to five letters long.

This page gives you every Q-without-U word in the North American tournament list (NWL2023), the extra words that only the international Collins list accepts, and the simple habits that turn the Q from a 10-point problem into 10 points on the board.

Which Dictionary Are You Playing?

Before you play any of these words, agree on the dictionary. North American club and tournament play uses the NASPA Word List (NWL2023). Most of the rest of the world uses Collins Scrabble Words, which contains everything in NWL plus thousands of extra words. Casual home games often use the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, which follows NWL closely.

Every word in the first three tables below is valid in NWL and in Collins. The last table lists words that are Collins only. If you are not sure whether a word is accepted, check it in our free Scrabble Dictionary before you lay it down.

Short Q Words Without U (2 to 4 Letters)

Short words are where the Q pays off. They slide into gaps beside other words and can land the Q on a double or triple letter square. Points below are base tile values before any premium squares.

QI deserves special attention. It needs only an I, and there are nine I tiles in a standard set, so one is usually within reach. It also can be played parallel to another word, forming two words at once. A Q on a triple letter square that scores in both directions is worth at least 60 points.

Five-Letter Q Words Without U

QAJAQ is a fun word to know, but the standard English set has only one Q tile, so you need a blank for the second Q. The blank scores 0, which brings the play down to 20 base points. TRANQ, UMIAQ and SUQ are useful in a different way: the Q sits at the end, so they let you build onto a word that already ends in a Q on the board.

Longer Q Words Without U (6 to 8 Letters)

You will not play these often, but when they fit they score well, and the 8-letter words can be bingos that use all seven of your tiles plus one letter already on the board.

Collins-Only Q Words Without U

The words below are valid in Collins Scrabble Words but not in NWL2023. Use them in international or online games that follow Collins, and leave them out of North American club games.

QIN is the big one here. In Collins games it gives you a second three-letter option beside QAT, and its plural QINS takes an S hook.

How to Play the Q When You Have No U

1. Look for an open I first. Any I on the board, or in your rack, means QI may be possible. Check whether you can place the Q above, below, or to the left of that I on a premium square.
2. Check the A and T. With an A and T together, QAT is often playable, and QATS gives an extra S hook later.
3. Count the U tiles left. There are four U tiles in a standard set. If two or three are already on the board, waiting for a U is a bad bet. Play a no-U word or exchange.
4. Do not hold the Q too long. Each turn you keep it, you play with six tiles instead of seven, and your chance of a 50-point bingo drops sharply. Getting the Q out for 20 points now usually beats waiting for 40 points that may never come.
5. Watch the endgame. A Q stuck on your rack when the bag is empty costs you its 10 points and gives your opponent 10 more in most rule sets. Plan your Q play while tiles are still in the bag.

Words That Look Valid but Are Not

Several Q-without-U words float around the internet but are not accepted in NWL2023. QORMA, QEEMA, QIN, FIQH, WAQF and TALAQ are Collins only. QAWWAL is also Collins only, even though its relative QAWWALI is valid in both lists. Be careful with lists that do not say which dictionary they follow, and check anything unfamiliar in a word checker before a challenge costs you a turn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you play Q without U in Scrabble?

Yes. Words such as QI, QAT, QADI, QAID, QOPH, CINQ, FAQIR, NIQAB, QANAT, QIBLA and TRANQ use a Q with no U and are valid in both the North American NWL2023 list and Collins Scrabble Words.

What is the best Q word without U?

QI is the most useful. It is only two letters, it is valid in every major Scrabble dictionary, and it can be played parallel to other words for big points. QAT is the next best.

Is QI a valid Scrabble word?

Yes. QI, meaning life force in Chinese philosophy, is valid in NWL2023, the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary and Collins Scrabble Words. Its plural QIS is valid too.

Is QIN valid in Scrabble?

QIN is valid in Collins Scrabble Words, used in international play, but it is not in the North American NWL2023 list.

What is the highest scoring Q word without U?

Among words that need no blank, QAMEEZ scores 26 base points in Collins. In NWL2023 the top plays are 22 points: KAMOTIQ, QAWWALI, QINDARKA, SHEQALIM and MBAQANGA. QAJAQ scores 30 only in sets with two Q tiles; in a standard set the second Q must be a blank.

Stuck with a tricky rack? Type your letters into the free Word Unscrambler to see every word you can play, sorted by Scrabble points. For more short words that unlock tight boards, read our 2-letter Scrabble words list and the 3-letter Scrabble words guide.