BananagramsEvery two-letter word, and where it is legal
Updated September 4, 2026 · 3 min read
There are 107 two-letter words in the North American list and 127 in Collins. You can play all of them only if your table uses the Collins word list, because 20 short words appear in Collins alone. Neither list accepts any two-letter word with the letter V.
The short version
- Verify whether your game uses NWL for 107 two-letter words or Collins for 127.
- Remember that V never forms any valid two-letter word in either list.
- Keep CH in mind as the only two-letter word containing C, valid solely in Collins.
- Avoid playing PH, which Collins removed from its word list in 2007.
The North American list (NWL) includes 107 two-letter words. These cover pairs like AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY, BA, BE, BI, BO, BY, DA, DE, DO, ED, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX, FA, FE, GI, GO, HA, HE, HI, HM, HO, ID, IF, IN, IS, IT, JO, KA, KI, LA, LI, LO, MA, ME, MI, MM, MO, MU, MY, NA, NE, NO, NU, OD, OE, OF, OH, OI, OK, OM, ON, OP, OR, OS, OW, OX, OY, PA, PE, PI, PO, QI, RE, SH, SI, SO, TA, TE, TI, TO, UH, UM, UN, UP, US, UT, WE, WO, XI, XU, YA, YE, YO, and ZA.
Safe everywhere: the everyday 21
- AN
- AT
- BE
- BY
- DO
- GO
- IF
- IN
- IS
- IT
- ME
- MY
- NO
- OF
- ON
- OR
- SO
- TO
- UP
- US
- WE
Look illegal, are legal everywhere: 18 that win arguments
- QI
- ZA
- XI
- XU
- JO
- KA
- OE
- AE
- EF
- ET
- AX
- EX
- OX
- SH
- HM
- MM
- OI
- UT
Collins only: the 20 that split the table
- CH
- DI
- EA
- EE
- FY
- GU
- IO
- JA
- KO
- KY
- NY
- OB
- OO
- OU
- ST
- UG
- UR
- YU
- ZE
- ZO
The North American list holds 107 two-letter words; Collins holds 127. The difference is exactly the 20 words in the last row.
Collins (CSW) recognizes every word from the North American list plus 20 extras, bringing its total to 127. Those 20 additional words are CH, DI, EA, EE, FY, GU, IO, JA, KO, KY, NY, OB, OO, OU, ST, UG, UR, YU, ZE, and ZO. If a group relies strictly on the North American standard, none of these 20 words are valid plays.
Letter availability shows two clear constraints across both sources. No two-letter word contains the letter V anywhere, under either dictionary. The letter C appears in exactly one two-letter word across both lists: CH, which is valid exclusively under Collins rules. Collins removed PH in 2007, so it cannot be played under modern lists.
Everyday vocabulary like AN, AT, BE, BY, DO, GO, IF, IN, IS, IT, ME, MY, NO, OF, ON, OR, SO, TO, UP, US, and WE rarely causes disagreement. In contrast, valid entries like QI, ZA, XI, XU, JO, KA, OE, AE, EF, ET, AX, EX, OX, SH, HM, MM, OI, and UT often trigger challenges despite being fully accepted in both references.
The mistake to avoid
The mistake is to assume CH or ZE can be played at every table. They are valid in Collins but illegal under the North American list. Another error is attempting any two-letter word with a V, which neither dictionary allows.
Questions that keep coming up
Is there any two-letter word with the letter V?
No, neither the North American list nor Collins contains any two-letter word with the letter V.
Which two-letter words contain the letter C?
Only one two-letter word uses the letter C, which is CH. It is legal exclusively in Collins and is not accepted in the North American list.
Is PH an acceptable two-letter word?
No, PH is not legal. Collins removed PH from its list in 2007, and it is absent from the North American list.