The Rare OZ Ending
Words ending in OZ are among the rarest in English. The full list is tiny: COZ (an archaic word for cousin), KOLHOZ, KOLKHOZ, KOLKOZ (variants of Russian collective farms), SCHNOZ (slang for nose), SOVKHOZ (a Soviet state farm), and TROOZ. These are specialized terms that most people never encounter outside of word games or historical texts. COZ is your best bet for Scrabble -- at just 3 letters and 14 points, it fits almost anywhere on the board.
In crosswords, COZ pops up more often than you'd expect, usually clued as "Relative, informally" or "Shakespeare's cousin." The word appears in several Shakespeare plays, making it a favorite for literary-themed puzzles. The KOLKHOZ variants are virtually never used in standard crosswords because they're too obscure, but they're valid in Scrabble tournament play. If you're stuck on a puzzle with a Z near the end, check words ending in ZA and words ending in X for alternative high-scoring endings. For words that start with the other big-point tile, look at words starting with ZE.
FAQ
Is COZ a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, COZ is valid in both TWL (Tournament Word List) and SOWPODS dictionaries. It scores 14 points base thanks to the Z tile. It's one of the handiest 3-letter Z words to know, alongside ZAP, ZEN, and ZIT. See words ending in OX for more short words with premium-tile endings.
What does KOLKHOZ mean?
A kolkhoz was a collective farm in the Soviet Union where workers shared land and production. The word comes directly from Russian. Its variant spellings (KOLKOZ, KOLHOZ) are all accepted in Scrabble dictionaries. For more unusual borrowed words, check words starting with ZE and words starting with E.