Yes. HWYL is a valid word.
HWYL is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
HWYL 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 HWYL
HWYL is a Welsh word for a stirring emotional fervor, the kind that lifts a passionate speech, sermon or song; its plural is HWYLS. Like CWM, it comes from Welsh, where W works as a vowel, so it has no A, E, I, O or U. Its H, W, Y and L are worth 13 points together. It is a rare word that will surprise the table. Welsh rugby crowds and choirs are said to be full of hwyl when the singing lifts the whole stadium. With three 4-point tiles, it scores more than most four-letter words. English has no single word that means quite the same thing, which is why it borrowed this one.
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HWYL scores 13 points
Before any bonus squares: H 4 + W 4 + Y 4 + L 1 = 13. On a double-word square that's 26, on a triple-word 39, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: HWYL as the first play
Later in the game, put the H on a 3L square and HWYL is worth 21 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
After HWYL (1):
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from HWYL
Other forms of HWYL (1):
Same letters, other words
No other word in the list uses exactly the letters H, W, Y and L.
Add one tile: words from these letters plus one more
HWYL + S
Memory tip
HWYL is a Welsh word for deep emotional fervor, as in a stirring speech or song.
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.