Updated June 2026
A halfbeak fish of the family Hemiramphidae, found in tropical waters.
“The balao is used as bait for big game fishing.”
ba·lao
"Balao" repeats a letter (4 unique of 5), so it rules out fewer options as an opening guess. Its 3 vowels help pin down vowel positions early.
"Balao" is worth 7 points before board bonuses. Aim its letters at double/triple-letter and word squares to lift the score.
Change a single letter of “balao” to make these 5-letter words — useful for Wordle and crossword clues.
Look up balao in an authoritative dictionary for full definitions, pronunciation, and etymology.

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