One square with P in the middle still leaves 559 words. ALPHA, AMPLE, AMPLY are the strongest openings among them.
About 10% of these sit on the Wordle answer list, 58 words in all.
Best First Guesses
With 559 words to get through, the first guess decides most of the round. Each one below is on this list, so it could be the answer outright, and the number beside it is how many words would still be left in the worst case.
- TAPES: takes 559 down to 65 at worst.
- PIPES: down to 116.
- TYPES: down to 117.
What These Words Have in Common
115 of them end in S, about one in five of the list. If you need a second letter to test, A (256), E (246) and S (175) appear here more than any others. Everyday English covers 22 of these 559 words. Past that point you are reading a dictionary, not a word list, so guess from the letters above.
Best 5 Letter Words With P in the Middle
The strongest picks, with answer-list words first.
- ALPHA
- AMPLE
- AMPLY
- APPLE
- APPLY
- CAPER
- CAPUT
- COPSE
- DEPOT
- DEPTH
- DOPEY
- EMPTY
- EXPEL
- GIPSY
- GUPPY
- GYPSY
- HAPPY
- HIPPO
- HIPPY
- HYPER
- IMPEL
- IMPLY
- INPUT
- KAPPA
- LAPEL
- LAPSE
- LEPER
- LIPID
- LUPUS
- MAPLE
- PAPAL
- PAPER
- PIPER
- POPPY
- PUPAL
- PUPIL
- PUPPY
- RAPID
- REPAY
- REPEL
- REPLY
- RIPEN
- RIPER
- RUPEE
- SAPPY
- SEPIA
- SUPER
- TAPER
- TAPIR
- TEPEE
- TEPID
- TIPSY
- TOPAZ
- TOPIC
- UPPER
- VAPID
- VAPOR
- VIPER
- HOPED
- HOPES
- JAPAN
- PIPES
- TAPES
- TYPES
5 Letter Words Starting With A With P as the 3rd Letter
- ALPHA
- AMPLE
- AMPLY
- APPLE
- APPLY
- AAPAS
- ADPAO
- AKPEK
- ALPAX
- ALPEN
- ALPID
- AMPED
- AMPER
- AMPHI
- AMPUL
- AMPYX
- APPAL
- APPAM
- APPAR
- APPAY
- APPEL
- APPET
- APPMT
- APPRO
- APPTD
- APPTS
- APPUI
- APPUY
- ARPAS
- ARPEN
- ASPCA
- ASPEN
- ASPER
- ASPIC
- ASPIE
- ASPIS
- ASPRO
5 Letter Words Starting With B With P as the 3rd Letter
- BAPPU
- BAPUS
- BEPAT
- BEPAW
- BEPEN
- BEPUN
- BIPED
- BIPOD
- BIPPY
- BOPPY
- BUPPY
5 Letter Words Starting With C With P as the 3rd Letter
- CAPER
- CAPUT
- COPSE
- CAPAS
- CAPAX
- CAPED
- CAPEL
- CAPES
- CAPEX
- CAPHS
- CAPIZ
- CAPLE
- CAPOC
- CAPON
- CAPOS
- CAPOT
- CAPPY
- CAPRA
- CAPRI
- CAPSA
- CAPUL
- CEPES
- CIPPI
- COPAL
- COPAY
- COPED
- COPEI
- COPEN
- COPER
- COPES
- COPHA
- COPIA
- COPIS
- COPPA
- COPPS
- COPPY
- COPRA
- COPSY
- COPUS
- CUPAY
- CUPEL
- CUPID
- CUPPA
- CUPPY
- CUPRO
- CYPRE
5 Letter Words Starting With D With P as the 3rd Letter
- DEPOT
- DEPTH
- DOPEY
- DAPPY
- DEPAS
- DEPEL
- DEPIT
- DEPOH
- DIPLE
- DIPPY
- DIPSO
- DIPSY
- DIPUS
- DOPAS
- DOPED
- DOPER
- DOPES
- DOPPE
- DUPED
- DUPER
- DUPES
- DUPLA
- DUPLE
- DUPLY
- DUPPA
- DUPPY
5 Letter Words Starting With E With P as the 3rd Letter
- EMPTY
- EXPEL
- ELPEE
- EMPEO
- EMPTS
- ENPIA
- EPPES
- EPPIE
- ESPEC
- EUPAD
- EXPAT
- EXPDT
- EXPOS
- EXPTL
- EXPWY
5 Letter Words Starting With G With P as the 3rd Letter
- GIPSY
- GUPPY
- GYPSY
- GAPED
- GAPER
- GAPES
- GAPOS
- GAPPY
- GIPON
- GIPPO
- GIPPY
- GOPAK
- GOPIK
- GYPES
- GYPOS
- GYPPO
- GYPPY
5 Letter Words Starting With H With P as the 3rd Letter
- HAPPY
- HIPPO
- HIPPY
- HYPER
- HOPED
- HOPES
- HAPAS
- HAPAX
- HAPLY
- HAPPI
- HAPUS
- HEPAR
- HIPED
- HIPER
- HIPES
- HIPLY
- HIPMI
- HIPPA
- HIPPI
- HOPAK
- HOPER
- HOPIS
- HOPPO
- HOPPY
- HYPED
- HYPES
- HYPHA
- HYPHO
- HYPHY
- HYPOS
5 Letter Words Starting With I With P as the 3rd Letter
- IMPEL
- IMPLY
- INPUT
- IMPAR
- IMPED
- IMPEN
- IMPER
- IMPIS
- IMPOT
- IMPRO
- IMPUT
- IPPON
- IRPEX
5 Letter Words Starting With K With P as the 3rd Letter
- KAPPA
- KAPAI
- KAPAS
- KAPHA
- KAPHS
- KAPOK
- KAPOW
- KAPPE
- KAPUR
- KAPUS
- KAPUT
- KEPIS
- KIPAH
- KIPAS
- KIPES
- KIPPA
- KIPPS
- KIPPY
- KIPSY
- KOPEC
- KOPEK
- KOPHS
- KOPIS
- KOPJE
- KOPPA
- KYPES
5 Letter Words Starting With L With P as the 3rd Letter
- LAPEL
- LAPSE
- LEPER
- LIPID
- LUPUS
- LAPAS
- LAPIN
- LAPIS
- LAPJE
- LAPON
- LAPPA
- LAPPS
- LAPPY
- LAPSI
- LEPAK
- LEPAL
- LEPAS
- LEPID
- LEPPY
- LEPRA
- LEPRE
- LEPRY
- LEPTA
- LEPUS
- LIPAN
- LIPAS
- LIPES
- LIPIC
- LIPIN
- LIPOS
- LIPPY
- LIPSE
- LOPED
- LOPER
- LOPES
- LOPPY
- LUPID
- LUPIN
- LUPIS
5 Letter Words Starting With M With P as the 3rd Letter
- MAPLE
- MAPAU
- MAPES
- MAPOU
- MAPPY
- MOPAN
- MOPED
- MOPER
- MOPES
- MOPEY
- MOPLA
- MOPPY
- MOPSY
- MOPUS
5 Letter Words Starting With N With P as the 3rd Letter
- NAPAL
- NAPAS
- NAPED
- NAPES
- NAPOH
- NAPOO
- NAPPA
- NAPPE
- NAPPY
- NEPAL
- NEPER
- NEPIT
- NIPAS
- NIPET
- NIPPY
- NOPAL
5 Letter Words Starting With O With P as the 3rd Letter
- OLPAE
- OLPES
- OOPAK
- OOPED
- OOPOD
- OOPSY
- OPPOS
- ORPED
- ORPIN
- ORPIT
- OUPAS
- OUPED
- OUPHE
- OUPHS
5 Letter Words Starting With P With P as the 3rd Letter
- PAPAL
- PAPER
- PIPER
- POPPY
- PUPAL
- PUPIL
- PUPPY
- PIPES
- PAPAD
- PAPAS
- PAPAW
- PAPES
- PAPEY
- PAPIO
- PAPPI
- PAPPY
- PAPRI
- PAPUA
- PAPYR
- PEPLA
- PEPLE
- PEPON
- PEPOS
- PEPPY
- PEPSI
- PHPHT
- PIPAL
- PIPAS
- PIPED
- PIPET
- PIPEY
- PIPID
- PIPIL
- PIPIS
- PIPIT
- PIPPY
- PIPRA
- PIPUL
- POPAL
- POPES
- POPIA
- POPIE
- POPOS
- POPPA
- POPSY
- POPUP
- PUPAE
- PUPAS
- PUPPA
- PUPUS
5 Letter Words Starting With R With P as the 3rd Letter
- RAPID
- REPAY
- REPEL
- REPLY
- RIPEN
- RIPER
- RUPEE
- RAPED
- RAPEE
- RAPER
- RAPES
- RAPHE
- RAPIC
- RAPIN
- RAPPE
- RAPSO
- REPAD
- REPAS
- REPAT
- REPEG
- REPEN
- REPEW
- REPIC
- REPIN
- REPLA
- REPOS
- REPOT
- REPPS
- REPRO
- REPRY
- REPUN
- REPUT
- RIPAL
- RIPED
- RIPES
- RIPPS
- RIPUP
- ROPED
- ROPER
- ROPES
- ROPEY
- RUPIA
- RUPIE
- RYPER
- RYPIN
5 Letter Words Starting With S With P as the 3rd Letter
- SAPPY
- SEPIA
- SUPER
- SAPAN
- SAPEK
- SAPID
- SAPIN
- SAPIT
- SAPLE
- SAPOR
- SEPAD
- SEPAL
- SEPIC
- SEPOY
- SEPPA
- SEPPO
- SEPTA
- SEPTI
- SEPTS
- SIPED
- SIPER
- SIPES
- SIPID
- SIPPY
- SOPHS
- SOPHY
- SOPOR
- SOPPY
- SOPRA
- SUPAI
- SUPED
- SUPES
- SUPPL
- SUPRA
- SUPVR
- SYPED
- SYPES
- SYPHS
5 Letter Words Starting With T With P as the 3rd Letter
- TAPER
- TAPIR
- TEPEE
- TEPID
- TIPSY
- TOPAZ
- TOPIC
- TAPES
- TYPES
- TAPAS
- TAPED
- TAPEN
- TAPET
- TAPIA
- TAPIS
- TAPIT
- TAPOA
- TAPPA
- TAPUL
- TAPUS
- TEPAL
- TEPAS
- TEPOR
- TEPOY
- TIPIS
- TIPIT
- TIPLE
- TIPPY
- TIPUP
- TOPAS
- TOPAU
- TOPED
- TOPEE
- TOPEK
- TOPER
- TOPES
- TOPHE
- TOPHI
- TOPHS
- TOPIA
- TOPIS
- TOPOG
- TOPOI
- TOPOS
- TOPPY
- TOPSL
- TOPSY
- TUPEK
- TUPIK
- TUPLE
- TYPAL
- TYPED
- TYPER
- TYPEY
- TYPHA
- TYPIC
- TYPOS
- TYPPS
- TYPTO
5 Letter Words Starting With U With P as the 3rd Letter
- UPPER
- ULPAN
- UMPED
- UMPHS
- UMPIE
- UMPTY
- UNPAY
- UNPEG
- UNPEN
- UNPIN
- UNPLY
- UNPOT
- UNPUT
- UPPED
- UPPOP
- URPED
5 Letter Words Starting With V With P as the 3rd Letter
- VAPID
- VAPOR
- VIPER
- VAPED
- VAPER
- VAPES
- VAPPA
- VEPSE
5 Letter Words Starting With Y With P as the 3rd Letter
- YAPLY
- YAPOK
- YAPON
- YAPPS
- YAPPY
- YEPLY
- YIPES
- YIPPY
- YMPES
- YOPOS
- YOPPO
- YUPON
- YUPPY
5 Letter Words Starting With Z With P as the 3rd Letter
- ZAPAS
- ZAPPY
- ZAPUS
- ZIPPO
- ZIPPY
- ZOPPA
- ZOPPO
- ZUPAN
- ZUPAS
- ZUPPA
5 Letter Words Starting With F, J, Q and other letters With P as the 3rd Letter
- FOPPY
- JAPAN
- JAPED
- JAPER
- JAPES
- JAPYX
- JUPES
- JUPON
- QAPIK
- QIPAO
- QOPHS
- WAPPO
- WIPED
- WIPER
- WIPES
- WOPSY
Less Familiar Words Here
This page carries a lot of words most players would not define. Reading them once is quicker than meeting them cold in a puzzle.
- HYPHA: Any of the threadlike filaments forming the mycelium of a fungus.
- SOPOR: A torpid state resembling deep sleep.
- KOPEK: 100 kopecks equal 1 ruble in Russia.
- UNPIN: Remove the pins from; unfasten the pins of.
- TAPPA: The thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry and Pipturus albidus.
- HOPER: A person who hopes.
- KOPJE: A small hill rising up from the African veld.
- TAPIS: A heavy textile with a woven design; used for curtains and upholstery.
- MOPES: An informal expression for a mildly depressed state.
- APPAL: Strike with disgust or revulsion.
- NOPAL: Cactus having yellow flowers and purple fruits.
- DUPLE: Consisting of or involving two parts or components usually in pairs.
- KAPOK: A plant fiber from the kapok tree; used for stuffing and insulation.
- PAPAW: Fruit with yellow flesh; related to custard apples.
FAQs
Can a Wordle answer have P in the middle?
Yes. HAPPY, SUPER and PAPER have all been answers, so the pattern is worth playing for rather than ruling out.
Do any of these use the same letter twice?
Yes. HAPPY and PAPER are two of them. Crossing off a letter after one grey square is the quickest way to miss an answer like these.
Is AMPUL really a word?
Yes. A small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle). It has never been the puzzle, so keep it for Scrabble.
Which one has the best chance of just being the answer?
HAPPY. It is the most ordinary word on this list that has already been the puzzle, so it is the guess to make when you want to win the round rather than learn from it.
Are all of these accepted as guesses?
Yes. Every word on this list is a legal guess, including the ones that look wrong. ZUPAS and ZOPPO are among them. Only a smaller set has ever been the answer, and those are the ones marked in green.
Which of these would most players overlook?
CAPUT, COPSE and GUPPY. All three are on the answer list, and none is a word you would reach for early, so they are worth remembering once the obvious guesses run out.