Why 2-Letter Words Matter

Two-letter words are the unsung heroes of Scrabble. They may be short, but they're the key to high-scoring parallel plays — where you play a word alongside an existing word, scoring both the new word and the 2-letter cross-words you create. Without knowing these words, you'll miss countless scoring opportunities.

The official Scrabble Tournament Word List (TWL) contains 107 valid two-letter words. Most are familiar (IS, IT, AT, TO, IN), but some are obscure (QI, ZA, XU, JO). Memorizing all 107 is the single highest-ROI study task for any Scrabble player.

The Complete 2-Letter Word List

Here are all 107 valid 2-letter Scrabble words with brief definitions:

High-Value 2-Letter Words (Memorize These First)

Most 2-letter words are worth 2-5 points, but some are goldmines because they contain high-value letters. Prioritize memorizing these:

QI — 11 points. The most useful Q-without-U word. A life-saver when you have a Q but no U.
ZA — 11 points. Slang for pizza. Combines Z (10) and A (1).
OX — 9 points. O + X (8). Easy to remember.
AX — 9 points. A + X (8). Common word.
EX — 9 points. E + X (8). A former partner.
JO — 9 points. J (8) + O. Scottish for sweetheart.
XI — 9 points. X (8) + I. Greek letter.
XU — 9 points. X (8) + U. Vietnamese currency.
KI — 6 points. K (5) + I. Japanese life force.
KA — 6 points. K (5) + A. Egyptian spiritual self.

Q-Without-U Words

The most famous Scrabble problem: you draw a Q but no U. Without knowing Q-without-U words, the Q becomes a dead tile. The 2-letter savior is QI (11 points). Memorize it. Other Q-without-U words to learn: QAT, QADI, QAID, QOPH, FAQIR, BURQA, MBAQANGA, SHEQEL, TRANQ.

Strategy: Using 2-Letter Words in Parallel Plays

The real power of 2-letter words is in parallel plays. If the word "PLAN" is on the board horizontally, you can play a word vertically that crosses through one of its letters. Each 2-letter cross-word you create scores too.

Example: "PLAN" is on the board. You play "BOAT" vertically, with the B above the P, O above the L, A above the A, and T above the N. You score BOAT plus the 2-letter cross-words BP, OL, AA, TN (assuming these are valid — BP and OL aren't, but you get the idea). This can double or triple your score for that turn.

How to Memorize the 2-Letter Words

Use flashcards. Create 107 cards with the word on one side and definition on the other. Review 10 per day.
Group by first letter. Learn all A-words first (AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY), then B-words, etc.
Practice with the Word Finder. Use our Word Finder with length set to 2 to see all 2-letter words.
Play Scrabble.Every game reinforces your memory. After 20 games, you'll have most of them down.

Conclusion

The 107 valid 2-letter Scrabble words are the foundation of intermediate and advanced play. Memorize them, and your Scrabble scores will jump by 50-100 points per game. Use this list as your reference, and practice with our Word Finder and Word Unscrambler.