You’re staring at the board. The tiles in your rack are a disaster, mostly because that "Q" is sitting there like a lead weight, and you don’t have a "U" in sight. Most casual players start panicking at this point, looking for a way to dump it on a cheap spot just to get rid of the ten-point burden. But honestly, if you’re trying to actually win, you need to stop looking for a "U" altogether.
The game changed forever in 2006. That was the year the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD) finally added the word QI. It’s the most important two letter scrabble word with q you will ever memorize. Seriously. It’s a literal game-changer that turned the Q from a liability into the most versatile scoring weapon in the bag.
Before we get into the weeds, let’s clear up what it actually means. Qi (pronounced "chee") comes from Chinese philosophy and traditional medicine, referring to the vital life force or energy that flows through everything. In Scrabble, though, it’s just pure, unadulterated points.
The Power of the "QI" Hook
Most people think of Scrabble as a game of long, flowery words. It isn’t. High-level Scrabble is a game of geometry and "hooks." Because QI is a two letter scrabble word with q, it allows you to play parallel to existing words on the board, scoring the Q twice in a single turn.
Imagine a world where your opponent plays "IT" vertically. If you place your Q next to the I and your I next to the T, you’ve just formed QI horizontally and another word vertically. You get 10 points for the Q, 1 for the I, and then you score it all over again for the vertical word. That’s a 22-point move minimum, and you only used two tiles. It’s efficient. It’s mean. It’s how you win tournaments.
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Are There Other Two Letter Scrabble Words With Q?
Here is the cold, hard truth: No.
If you are playing by official NASPA (North American Scrabble Players Association) rules or using the Merriam-Webster Scrabble dictionary, QI is the only one. There is no "QA," "QE," "QO," or "QU." I’ve seen people try to argue for "QA" (a type of Sufi disciple), but while that’s a real word in some dictionaries, it is not legal in Scrabble.
- QI is legal.
- QIS (the plural) is legal.
- Everything else is a foul.
Don’t be that person who tries to sneak "QU" onto a Triple Letter Score. You’ll get challenged, you’ll lose your turn, and you’ll look like an amateur. Stick to what works.
Why "QI" Actually Matters for Your Elo Rating
If you’re playing on Scrabble GO or in a local club, your "Elo" or ranking depends on your ability to manage your rack. Keeping a Q for more than two turns is usually a death sentence. The probability of drawing a "U" is actually lower than most people realize—there are only four "U" tiles in a standard 100-tile set. If two are already on the board and one is in your opponent's rack, you’re stuck holding that Q until the end of the game, where it will eventually count against you.
Knowing this two letter scrabble word with q removes the "U" dependency. It frees up your mental energy to focus on finding bingos (using all seven tiles) elsewhere. Experts like Will Anderson or Nigel Richards don't sweat the Q because they know every possible "Q-without-U" word by heart, but QI is the foundation of that entire strategy.
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The Strategy of the "S" Plural
I mentioned QIS earlier. Never forget the S. If your opponent plays QI, and you have an S, you can "hook" onto their word. This is a classic "leech" move. You get the 10 points from their Q plus whatever else you build off that S. It’s one of the most frustrating things to deal with as a defender because you basically handed your opponent a double-digit score for free.
Beyond the Two-Letter Basics
Since we’ve established that QI is the king of the two letter scrabble word with q category, you should probably know its cousins. If you can’t find a spot for a two-letter word, you need the three-letter variations.
QAT (a shrub chewed as a stimulant) and SUQ (a marketplace variation of Souq) are essential. Then there's QIS, which we already covered. These words allow you to stay flexible. But honestly, 90% of the time, QI is going to be your bread and butter. It fits into tight spaces where a three-letter word simply won't go.
Common Misconceptions About the Q
I hear this a lot: "But my dictionary says 'QA' is a word!"
Dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary are descriptive—they record how people use language. Scrabble dictionaries are prescriptive. They are a closed set of rules. Just because a word exists in the "real world" doesn't mean it exists on the board. This is a point of massive contention in family games, usually ending in someone slamming a book shut.
Another big one? People think "Q" words always need a "U" because that's what we were taught in third grade. In Scrabble, that rule is a lie. There are over 30 words in the official lexicon that use a Q without a U. QI is simply the shortest and most effective.
How to Memorize and Deploy
You don't need a photographic memory. You just need to change your "search pattern" when looking at the board. Instead of looking for "QU" spots, look for every single "I" that is currently sitting on the board.
Check above the I.
Check below the I.
Check to the left and right.
If there is an open square next to an "I," you have a home for your Q. If that open square happens to be a Double or Triple Letter score, you’ve just hit a 20 or 30-point play with zero effort.
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Technical Limitations and Variations
It’s worth noting that if you are playing Words With Friends instead of Scrabble, the dictionary is slightly different (it uses the ENABLE list). However, even in that game, QI remains a legal and top-tier word. In the UK version of Scrabble (WESPA), which uses the Collins Scrabble Words (CSW) list, you actually have more options, like QIN or QIS, but for the vast majority of players in North America, QI is your lone soldier.
Real World Application: The "Late Game" Scramble
At the end of the game, when the bag is empty, the Q becomes a ticking time bomb. If you're caught with it, you lose 10 points and your opponent gains 10. That's a 20-point swing.
I’ve seen games won and lost solely because one player knew they could tuck a two letter scrabble word with q into a tiny corner to go out first. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to be legal.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Next Game
If you want to stop losing to your grandmother or that one friend who takes the game way too seriously, do these three things:
- Stop searching for the U. The moment you pull the Q, assume you are playing QI. If a U happens to show up, great, but don't plan your game around it.
- Scan for "I" tiles constantly. Every "I" on the board is a potential 11 to 31-point landing pad for your Q.
- Learn the "QIS" hook. If you see an "I" near the edge of the board, check if you can fit QI and then immediately see if you can add an "S" on the following turn if the Q is still open.
Memorizing this one word is the single fastest way to increase your average Scrabble score by 20 points per game. It sounds small, but in a game that usually ends in the 300s, that's the difference between a loss and a win. Don't overcomplicate it. Just play the QI.