Yes. YO is a valid word.
YO is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
YO 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 YO
YO is a greeting or a shout to get attention. The Y is worth 4, so YO on a letter bonus where the Y makes two words is a strong small play. It hooks into YOB, YOD, YOK, YOM, YON, YOU and YOW.
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YO scores 5 points
Before any bonus squares: Y 4 + O 1 = 5. On a double-word square that's 10, on a triple-word 15, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: YO as the first play
Later in the game, put the Y on a 3L square and YO is worth 13 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
Longer words from YO
Words that start with YO:
- YOBSform of YOB: a cruel and brutal fellow
- YOCK
- YODHthe 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
- YODS
- YOGAdiscipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the…
- YOGH
- YOGIone who practices yoga and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight
- YOKEfabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of YO and these are still words:
Same letters, other words
These use exactly the letters of YO:
- OYused to express dismay or pain
Add one tile: words from these letters plus one more
YO + C
- COYaffectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
YO + D
YO + F
YO + H
- HOYa flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)
YO + J
- JOYto rejoice
YO + K
YO + M
YO + N
- YONdistant but within sight (`yon' is dialectal)
YO + S
- SOYa source of oil
YO + T
- TOYan artifact designed to be played with
Memory tip
YO is a greeting. Reverse it for OY, and put a B, C, J, S or T in front for BOY, COY, JOY, SOY or TOY.
On these lists
Other two-letter words starting with Y
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. Playing the international (Collins) list? Turn on its 20 extra two-letter words in Setup.
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.