Palindrome Words in Scrabble: KAYAK, LEVEL & More
Palindromes — words that read the same forwards and backwards — are among Scrabble's most memorable vocabulary. From KAYAK's 16 points to the humble ROTOR, these symmetrical words are easy to recall under tournament pressure and several pack serious scoring punch.
KAYAK — 16 points
K(5) + A(1) + Y(4) + A(1) + K(5) = 16 base points
Two K tiles (5pts each) plus a Y (4pts) make KAYAK the highest-scoring common palindrome. Place either K on a DL square for 21 points. On a TW square row, it can hit 48.
All Valid Palindromes
Palindromes by Length
3 Letters
EYE (6) · ERE (3) · EWE (6) · AHA (6) · ANA (3) · BIB (7) · BOB (7) · DAD (5) · DID (5) · GAG (5) · MOM (7) · MUM (7) · NUN (3) · POP (7) · PUP (7) · SIS (3) · TAT (3) · TIT (3) · TOT (3)
5+ Letters
KAYAK (16) · CIVIC (12) · MADAM (10) · LEVEL (8) · REFER (8) · RADAR (6) · ROTOR (5) · TENET (5) · DEIFIED (12) · RACECAR (11) · REVIVER (12)
Strategic Value
Easy recall under pressure: Palindromes stick in memory because of their symmetric pattern. In timed tournament play, they come to mind faster than irregular words.
Duplicate letter advantage: KAYAK uses 2 K tiles, LEVEL uses 2 L tiles. If you draw duplicate letters, palindromes are one of the few word categories that actively use them.
CIVIC and KAYAK score well: Both contain high-value tiles (C=3, K=5, Y=4). They outperform many common 5-letter words and do not require rare tiles from the bag.
💡 Fun Fact
DEIFIED (12pts) and RACECAR (11pts) are 7-letter palindromes — they qualify for the bingo bonus. A DEIFIED bingo scores 62 points. A RACECAR bingo scores 61 points. Rare but spectacular.
🔤 Check any palindrome's validity — instant, free, no sign-up
Open Word Finder →
Loading comments...