RST
ROAST, RESIST, and RESTART pass. STAR fails because S appears before R.
Pattern guide
Reading Three-Letter Patterns
A WordSQD prompt is a route through a word. These pattern families help you decide where to search first without forgetting the left-to-right rule.
Vowel-heavy patterns
Multiple vowels can suggest familiar syllables, but their order still narrows the field. For AIO, RATIO works because A, I, and O appear in that order. Trace the vowels before committing; swapping two familiar sounds creates a wrong-order answer.
Consonant-heavy patterns
For BRD, place spaces between the letters: B … R … D. BORED, BREAD, and BRAID use different vowel bridges while keeping B before R before D. If one bridge fails, change the word family instead of forcing the same stem.
Repeated letters
ALL needs two separate L positions after A. ALLEY and ALLOY pass; ALONE fails. Count repeated tiles against distinct positions in the candidate.
Prefixes before the first tile
A prefix can create a longer answer and an off-lead bonus. TMR fits CUSTOMER and OUTNUMBER even though neither starts with T. First find the required T, then continue searching to its right for M and R.
Suffixes after the final tile
Common endings can extend a safe candidate. PLR fits PLAYER and POPULAR. Once P, L, and R are in order, letters after R do not harm the answer unless Forbidden mode blocks one.
Difficult middle letters
The second tile is the hinge. In NTR, ENTER, INTERIOR, and COUNTRY all place T between N and R. A word with N and R but no T between them cannot recover later unless another R appears after a suitable T.
Rare consonants
Q often points toward QU, but the surrounding required letters decide where that unit can sit. SQD suggests S before QU and D later; SQUAD and SEQUESTERED both follow that route. Do not assume Q must be the first letter.
Likely answer length
A short answer is easier to verify under time pressure. A long answer earns more base points and may collect an off-lead bonus. On a 60-second Easy round, you can search past TIMER for CUSTOMER. On an 8-second Extreme round, the safe answer may be worth more than an unfinished search.
Worked patterns
LMP
LAMP, LIMP, and LAMPSHADE pass. The required letters may touch or spread across the word.
BRT
BRIGHT, BIRTH, and BRACKET pass. Each gives the middle R a different surrounding shape.
Practice sequences
- TMR: find one direct answer and one off-lead answer.
- ALL: find two answers with separate L positions.
- BRD: find three answers using different vowels.
- SQD: find an answer other than SQUAD.
- NTR: find one answer where none of the required letters starts the word.
Try the drills in regular play, then compare methods in the strategy guide.