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SPHINX A mythical creature with a human head and lion's body; most famously, the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Yes. SPHINX is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 18 points in Scrabble, 19 in Words With Friends and 19 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | S | P | H | I | N | X | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 18 |
| Words With Friends | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 19 |
| Wordfeud | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 19 |
A sphinx is a mythical creature typically depicted with a human head and a lion's body. The most famous example is the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt, carved from limestone around 2500 BCE, which stands guard near the pyramids.
In Greek mythology, the sphinx was portrayed differently - often with wings and female. The most famous Greek sphinx posed riddles to travelers, devouring those who answered incorrectly. This riddling sphinx appears in the story of Oedipus.
For Scrabble enthusiasts, SPHINX is a powerful 6-letter word containing three high-value consonants (S, P, H, X). Its mythological familiarity makes it easier to remember than technical X words, while its consonant cluster provides excellent scoring.
The word 'sphinx' comes from Greek 'Sphinx,' possibly derived from the Egyptian 'shesep-ankh' meaning 'living image.' The Greek term may also connect to 'sphingein' meaning 'to squeeze' or 'strangle,' referring to the creature's habit of strangling victims. It entered English via Latin in the 15th century.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of SPHINX.
Hooks: no front hooks; no back hooks.
Words inside SPHINX: 34 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: PIXNIXSIXXISHIPSPHISPISHSHIPXIHIPPHIHINS. See all words from SPHINX.