Words With Q but No U: All 21 of Them
Drew a Q without a U? These are the 21 words in our dictionary that use a Q and no U, from QAT and QOPH to QWERTY, with what they mean.
· 1 min read
The Q is worth 10 points, but it is the tile most players dread, because almost every English Q needs a U after it. Almost, but not quite. Our dictionary has 21 words that use a Q without any U at all.
- qat12
- qaid14
- qats13
- qoph18
- faqir17
- qaids15
- qanat14
- qophs19
- tranq14
- faqirs18
- qanats15
- qindar16
- qintar15
- qwerty21
- sheqel18
- tranqs15
- qindars17
- qintars16
- qwertys22
- qindarka22
- sheqalim22
What they mean
Most of these words come from other languages, which is why they break the usual rule.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| QAT | The leaves of a shrub, chewed or brewed as a mild stimulant (also spelled KHAT) |
| QAID | A Muslim leader or local chief |
| QOPH | The 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet |
| FAQIR | A Muslim or Hindu holy man who lives by begging (also FAKIR) |
| QANAT | An underground channel that carries water for irrigation |
| TRANQ | Short for tranquilliser |
| QWERTY | The standard keyboard layout, named after its first six letters |
| QINTAR, QINDAR, QINDARKA | A coin of Albania; 100 make one lek |
| SHEQEL, SHEQALIM | A variant spelling of shekel, the currency of Israel, and its plural |
Plurals such as QATS, QAIDS, QOPHS and FAQIRS make up the rest of the list.
How to use them
- QAT is the one to remember. It is short, easy to fit, and the A and T are among the most common tiles in the bag.
- QAID and QOPH need just one extra letter each, and both take an S.
- Keep your blank for the U. If you have a blank, playing it as a U opens up hundreds of ordinary Q words like QUIZ and QUEEN.
Looking for Q words that do use a U? Browse all words containing QU, or see every word containing Q.