Yes. BYS is a valid word.
BYS is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
BYS is in the NASPA Word List 2023 (NWL2023), the North American list that Tileside uses for challenges and the one used in club and tournament play.
About BYS
BYS is the plural of BY, which in the word list is also a noun: a pass in certain card games. It uses a B, a Y and an S, with no A, E, I, O or U. If BY is already on the board, an S on the end makes BYS. It looks odd, but it is a solid way to play a Y.
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BYS scores 8 points
Before any bonus squares: B 3 + Y 4 + S 1 = 8. On a double-word square that's 16, on a triple-word 24, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: BYS as the first play
Later in the game, put the Y on a 3L square and BYS is worth 16 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
In front of BYS (1):
- ABYSform of ABY: make amends for
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from BYS
Words that start with BYS:
- BYSSIform of BYSSUS: tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
- BYSSALform of BYSSUS: tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
- BYSSUStuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
- BYSSUSESform of BYSSUS: tuft of strong filaments by which e.g. a mussel makes itself fast to a fixed surface
- BYSTREET
- BYSTANDERa nonparticipant spectator
- BYSTREETS
- BYSSINOSES
Show 2 more wordsShow fewer
- BYSSINOSIS
- BYSTANDERSform of BYSTANDER: a nonparticipant spectator
Change one tile
Same letters, other words
No other word in the list uses exactly the letters B, Y and S.
Add one tile: words from these letters plus one more
BYS + A
BYS + E
Memory tip
BYS is the plural of BY, which is also a noun: a pass in certain card games.
On these lists
Check words at the table, free
Tileside keeps score, checks words like this one during a challenge, tracks the tiles left in the bag and times turns. It runs in your phone's browser with no account and works offline.
Tileside checks words against the North American list, the NASPA Word List 2023. Your group's chosen dictionary always wins.
Word list: NASPA Word List 2023, used under license. NASPA Word List 2023 Edition © NASPA 2023. The copy included in this app is licensed for personal use. You may not use it for any commercial purposes.
Works with the Scrabble board game, played at the table. Tileside is an independent product, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of Scrabble.