Best First Letters to Try in Codewords

When a codeword puzzle provides only a few starter letters, deciding what to try next can be difficult. Some letters occur much more frequently in English than others, making them stronger early possibilities.

In most cases, the best first letters to try in codewords are E, T, A, O, I, N, S, H and R. However, successful codeword solving requires more than simply guessing common letters. You must also consider where a number appears, how often it occurs and what word patterns it creates.

This guide explains which letters are most useful at the beginning of a codeword and how to test them safely.

Start With E

E is one of the most common letters in written English, so it is often the strongest first possibility for a frequently appearing number.

E regularly appears:

• At the end of words
• In the middle of longer words
• Twice within the same word
• In common endings such as -ED, -ER and -ES

If an unknown number occurs throughout the puzzle and frequently appears as the final letter of words, test whether it could represent E.

For example:

M A K _

could become MAKE if the final number represents E.

However, avoid permanently assigning E based on frequency alone. Check every occurrence of the number before confirming it.

Try T in Common Word Positions

T is another highly frequent letter and appears in many common short words, including:

• TO
• IT
• AT
• THE
• THAT
• NOT

A number appearing at the beginning of several words may represent T, particularly if it creates patterns such as:

• T _ E
• T _
• T H _
• T _ A T

T is especially helpful because identifying THE can reveal three important letters at once.

Consider A in Short Words

A is common both as a single-letter word and within short words such as:

• AN
• AS
• AT
• AND
• ARE
• CAN
• HAD

In codeword puzzles that allow one-letter entries, a single square is likely to be A or I. This can provide a valuable early deduction.

A also appears frequently as the second letter in common patterns such as:

• M A _ E
• C A _
• H A _
• S A _ E

Test O in Two-Letter Words

O appears in many common two-letter words, including:

• OF
• ON
• OR
• TO
• NO
• SO
• DO
• GO

If you identify a repeated number in several two-letter entries, O may be a sensible possibility.

It also appears in recognisable longer patterns such as:

• _ O _ E
• C O _ E
• _ O R _
• S O _ E

Because several two-letter words contain O, crossing letters are essential for determining the correct answer.

Use I for One-Letter and Short Entries

I is the other common one-letter English word. If the grid contains an isolated single square and A has already been assigned, the answer is likely to be I.

I also appears in common words such as:

• IF
• IN
• IS
• IT
• HIS
• WITH
• THIS

The ending -ING makes I especially useful in longer entries. If three repeated numbers appear at the ends of several words, check whether they could represent I, N and G.

Look for N in Common Endings

N appears frequently in the middle and at the end of English words.

Common patterns include:

• IN
• AN
• ON
• AND
• ONE
• -ING
• -TION
• -MENT

A number appearing immediately before a possible G at the end of several words may represent N.

N is also helpful for recognising endings such as -ION, which appears in many longer words.

Try S for Plurals

S is often easy to identify because it appears at the end of plural nouns and third-person verbs.

If several words share the same final number and removing that final character leaves a possible singular word, the number may represent S.

Examples include:

• CATS
• BOOKS
• WORDS
• READS
• MAKES

S may also appear at the beginning of words such as SOME, SAME, SITE and SIDE.

Be careful, however, because final letters may also be E, D, R, Y or N.

Use H With T and W

H may not always be the first letter you identify, but it becomes highly valuable when combined with T or W.

Common words and patterns include:

• HE
• HIS
• HER
• THE
• THIS
• THAT
• WHAT
• WHEN
• WHERE

If you suspect a T and see the pattern T _ E, H is a strong possibility for the middle letter.

Similarly, patterns beginning W _ may use H to form WHO, WHY, WHEN or WHAT.

Consider R in Word Endings

R is common in both the middle and at the end of words.

Useful endings include:

• -ER
• -OR
• -AR
• -RY

Common patterns include:

• _ E R
• _ O R
• R E _
• _ R E

R is particularly useful when an E has already been confirmed, as the pair ER appears in many words.

Do Not Ignore D, L and U

After testing the most frequent letters, D, L and U are often valuable next choices.

D commonly appears in:

• -ED endings
• AND
• DID
• HAD
• WOULD

L frequently appears as a repeated letter in words such as:

• WILL
• WELL
• CALL
• FALL
• STILL

U is especially useful after Q, since Q is commonly followed by U in English words. It also appears in words such as BUT, USE, OUT and MUST.

How to Choose Which Number to Test

Do not assign common letters randomly. Select a number that provides the most information.

A good candidate may:

• Appear many times in the grid
• Occur in several short words
• Appear at the beginning or end of multiple words
• Form part of a repeated number sequence
• Sit beside already confirmed letters

For example, a number appearing 15 times is generally more useful to test than a number appearing only once.

Check Letter Position, Not Just Frequency

The position of a number can be as important as how often it appears.

A frequently occurring number may be:

• E when it often ends words
• S when it creates several plurals
• T when it starts common word patterns
• A or I when it appears in short entries
• N when it repeatedly appears in -ING or -TION patterns

Use both frequency and position to build a reliable hypothesis.

Make Temporary Guesses

When testing a letter, treat it as temporary until it works across the grid.

Suppose you believe number 8 represents E. Substitute E into every position containing 8 and examine the resulting patterns.

Keep the assignment when it:

• Creates several recognisable words
• Agrees with existing letters
• Does not duplicate another number-letter assignment
• Produces useful prefixes or suffixes

Remove it when it creates impossible combinations or conflicts with confirmed answers.

A Practical Starting Order

There is no perfect order for every puzzle, but the following sequence is a useful general guide:

E, T, A, O, I, N, S, H, R, D, L, U

This order should not be treated as a fixed rule. The puzzle’s word patterns may indicate that a less common letter is more useful.

For example, a repeated double-letter pattern might strongly suggest L even when E and T remain unknown.

Final Thoughts

The best first letters to try in codewords are usually common English letters, particularly E, T, A, O, I, N, S, H and R. Nevertheless, frequency should only help you generate possibilities.

The strongest deductions combine three types of evidence:

1. How frequently the number appears
2. Where it appears within words
3. Whether the letter creates valid patterns throughout the grid

By testing letters carefully and confirming them in multiple places, you can make a confident start without filling the puzzle with risky guesses.