Palindrome Words in Scrabble
Palindromes — words that read identically forwards and backwards — are among the most satisfying plays in Scrabble. Beyond their novelty, palindromes have a practical edge: they contain repeated letters, which means if you have doubles on your rack, palindromes might be your best path to a play. From the humble AA to the impressive DEIFIED, here's every palindrome worth knowing for your next game.
Palindrome Stats
50+
Valid Palindromes
2-7
Letter Range
15
Max Points (KAYAK)
DEIFIED
Longest Common
Palindromes appear across every word length. Two-letter palindromes (AA, MM) are obvious, but the 5-7 letter palindromes are where real scoring happens. These words use repeated letters efficiently and often surprise opponents who don't expect them.
Complete Palindrome Word Table
All words below read the same forwards and backwards and are valid in at least one official Scrabble dictionary.
| # | Word | Points | Length | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KAYAK | 15 | 5 | Small boat |
| 2 | REVIVER | 13 | 7 | One who revives |
| 3 | CIVIC | 12 | 5 | Relating to a city |
| 4 | DEIFIED | 12 | 7 | Made into a god |
| 5 | SHAHS | 11 | 5 | Persian rulers |
| 6 | REPAPER | 11 | 7 | To paper again |
| 7 | MADAM | 10 | 5 | Polite form of address |
| 8 | LEVEL | 8 | 5 | Flat, even surface |
| 9 | REFER | 8 | 5 | To direct attention |
| 10 | ROTATOR | 7 | 7 | Something that rotates |
| 11 | MUM | 7 | 3 | Mother / silent |
| 12 | POP | 7 | 3 | Father / burst |
| 13 | RADAR | 6 | 5 | Detection system |
| 14 | SAGAS | 6 | 5 | Long stories |
| 15 | TENET | 5 | 5 | A principle or belief |
| 16 | STATS | 5 | 5 | Statistics |
| 17 | ROTOR | 5 | 5 | Rotating mechanism |
| 18 | SOLOS | 5 | 5 | Lone performances |
Fun Facts About Scrabble Palindromes
🔄 Mirror Symmetry
Palindromes always have odd-length forms (3, 5, 7 letters) with a center letter, or even-length (4, 6) with a mirrored pair. Odd palindromes are far more common in English.
📊 Double Letters Required
Every palindrome uses at least one letter twice. KAYAK needs 2×K and 2×A. This means duplicate tiles on your rack aren't always bad — they might spell a palindrome.
🏆 Bingo Palindromes
DEIFIED, REVIVER, and REPAPER are all 7-letter palindromes. Playing them as bingos adds the 50-point bonus — REVIVER as a bingo scores 63 points before premium squares.
🎯 K is the Palindrome King
KAYAK scores 15 points because K is worth 5 each — and you need two of them. With only 1 K tile in the bag, you'd need a blank for the second K unless hooking onto an existing K.
Strategy Tips
Duplicate tiles aren't always bad: If you draw two R's, think ROTOR. Two E's? Think LEVEL or REFER. Two S's? Think STATS or SAGAS. Palindromes turn duplicate-heavy racks into playable hands.
7-letter palindromes are bingo candidates: DEIFIED (12 + 50 = 62 pts), REVIVER (13 + 50 = 63 pts), and REPAPER (11 + 50 = 61 pts) are all achievable bingos. Keep them in mind when you have the right letter combinations.
Use blanks for expensive duplicates: KAYAK needs two K tiles but only one K exists. Use a blank as the second K — you still score 10 points for the word (blank=0, K=5, A=1, Y=4, A=1, blank=0).
CIVIC with C on DLS: CIVIC scores 12 base points. If either C lands on a double-letter square, that's 15 points. Both C's on premium squares is rare but devastating — plan your board placement.
MADAM and LEVEL are everyday words: Don't overlook common palindromes. MADAM (10 pts) and LEVEL (8 pts) use common tiles and fit easily on most boards. They're reliable mid-game plays.
🔍 Try our free Scrabble Word Finder — instant results, no signup
Open Word Finder →Advanced Rack Management
Elite Scrabble players think in terms of rack leave — the tiles remaining after each play. A good rack leave balances vowels and consonants (ideally 3-4 consonants and 2-3 vowels), retains common letters like S, E, R, T, and avoids duplicates. Every word you play should be evaluated not just by its score but by what it leaves you to work with next turn.
The concept of synergy applies to Scrabble tiles just as it does to other games. Certain tile combinations work together beautifully — for example, holding ING or TION or NESS makes it easier to find 7-letter bingos. Conversely, holding double or triple copies of the same letter severely limits your options and often forces an exchange.
Tile tracking becomes increasingly important as the game progresses. By the midgame, you should have a rough idea of which high-value tiles remain in the bag. In the endgame (fewer than 7 tiles left in the bag), precise tracking allows you to deduce your opponent's exact rack and play accordingly — blocking their best plays while maximising your own remaining scoring opportunities.
Consider the concept of turnover — how many tiles you draw from the bag each turn. Playing 5-6 tiles per turn cycles through the bag faster, giving you more chances to draw premium tiles. Conversely, playing single-tile or two-tile words slows your turnover and reduces your overall access to the tile distribution across the full game.
📚 Sources & References
- • SOWPODS International Dictionary (267,751 words), Collins + TWL combined
- • Tournament Word List (TWL06), NASPA Word List Committee
- • Collins Scrabble Words (CSW), HarperCollins Publishers
- • Tile distribution & values per Hasbro official Scrabble rules
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