Is QIBLA a valid word?

QIBLA is the direction toward the Kaaba in Mecca that Muslims face during prayer, and the wall of a mosque that faces it is called the qibla wall. Other valid spellings are KIBLA and KIBLAH. QIBLA starts with QI, the two-letter word, so you can picture it growing from QI by adding B, L and A. With only one point each on the I, L and A, most of its score comes from the Q and the 3-point B.

Before any bonus squares: Q 10 + I 1 + B 3 + L 1 + A 1 = 16. On a double-word square that's 32, on a triple-word 48, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.

Later in the game, put the Q on a 3L square and QIBLA is worth 36 before any word bonus.

Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.

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

No other word in the list uses exactly the letters Q, I, B, L and A.

QIBLA is the direction of Mecca, which Muslims face to pray. Also spelled KIBLA and KIBLAH.

• Q without U

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.

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.