Compound words with BLACK

BLACK is a one-sided word. It heads 5 compounds in this list and finishes none of them, so it can start a chain but never sit in the middle of one.

Words that follow BLACK

Each of these makes a compound starting with BLACK.

Why BLACK joins the way it does

BLACK only ever leads. BLACKBOARD and BLACKWOOD are literal, but BLACKMAIL has nothing to do with the post: mail here is an old Scots word for rent or tribute. BLACKGUARD, still spoken as one syllable and a half, drifted from a household servant to an insult.

Play a bridge

KEYSTONE is a free daily puzzle built entirely out of chains like these. You get the two ends and have to fill the two words in the middle. Three bridges a day, no account, no cookies.

Play today's KEYSTONE

Other hinge words

Each of these has a page like this one. There is also an index of all 54.

AWAY · BACK · BALL · BED · BOARD · BOOK · BOY · BREAK · CHECK · DAY · DOOR · DOWN · FALL · FATHER · FIRE · GROUND · GUN · HAND · HEAD · HOOD · HOUSE · LAND · LESS · LIFE · LIGHT · LINE · LOAD · MAN · MOTHER · NIGHT · OFF · OUT · OVER · PAY · POINT · POST · POWER · ROOM · RUN · SHIP · SIDE · SOME · STEP · SUN · TAKE · TIME · TURN · UNDER · WALK · WATER · WAY · WOOD · WORK