Is QANATS a valid word?

QANATS is the plural of QANAT, an underground water tunnel first built in ancient Persia to carry water to fields and towns. It uses six tiles, all but the Q among the most common in the bag, so it is a realistic play when your rack has two A tiles, an N, a T and an S. When QANAT is already on the board, adding the S on the end makes QANATS and counts the 10-point Q again. Some qanats in Iran are thousands of years old and still carry water today. The water stays cool and clean underground, safe from the desert sun.

Before any bonus squares: Q 10 + A 1 + N 1 + A 1 + T 1 + S 1 = 15. On a double-word square that's 30, on a triple-word 45, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.

Later in the game, put the Q on a 3L square and QANATS is worth 35 before any word bonus.

Swap any one letter of QANATS and these are still words:

No other word in the list uses exactly the letters Q, A, N, A, T and S.

QANATS is the plural of QANAT, an underground water channel. An S on QANAT scores the Q again.

• Q without U

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