Scrabble can be a ruthless, cutthroat game. Whether you’re playing it with family or friends, coming up with words on the fly — let alone words with specific letters, designed to win you the most points possible —is difficult and can cause a lot of yelling at Family Game Night.

One of the most difficult letters to work with in Scrabble is the Z. Worth ten points, it can be very useful when you land on a triple word score, but difficult to play in the heat of the moment. Therefore, in order to reign supreme in Scrabble, we’ve put together 12 words that start with the final letter of the alphabet. Make sure to learn them and use them wisely to trounce your competition!

Zombie

The living dead, the stuff of nightmares and great TV shows. Example: “The zombie slow, but he ended up getting the brains in the end.”

Zeal

A noun that means “eagerness.” Example: “His zeal for creating a strong company encouraged fifteen people to become new customers.”

Zenith

The highest point of something, like a celestial body or a career. Example: “The sun had reached its zenith, and the city was unbearably hot.”

Zone

A region or area set apart from other areas through difference or borders. Example: “The business zone of the town was wildly different from the residential part, full of skyscrapers instead of small houses.”

Ziggurat

A Mesopotamian structure that is a rectangular-stepped tower, often connected to a temple. Linked to the Zoroastrian faith, they were possibly a throwback to the Tower of Babel story. Example: “The ziggurat was at least forty stories tall and imposing against the sky.”

Zipper

A device used to connect fabric together, like on clothing or a bag. Example: “The zipper was stuck, so she couldn’t close the dress and had to return it.”

Zinfandel

A type of wine, often grown in California. Example: “The Zinfandel was smooth and delicious, and she bought a bottle for fifteen dollars.”

Zircon

A mineral that has been used as both a gemstone and as a cheaper version of a more precious gemstone. It can be a variety of different colors. Example: “My ring is actually a zircon ring, but I feel like it looks just as beautiful as a diamond.”

Zoo

A place where animals from other regions and countries are housed for both entertainment and research. Example: “The Boston Zoo has penguins and other animals that they study to aid conservation efforts elsewhere. Plus, the penguins are cute!”

Zither

A stringed musical instrument whose strings are the same length as their soundboard. They can be European, although the most well known are Asian in origin. For example: “She played the zither wonderfully, and the sound filled the air.”

Zucchini

A vegetable, usually long and either green or yellow, with seeds on the inside; usually used in soups, ratatouille and stews. Example: “She cut up the zucchini lengthwise and cooked it with pasta to make something light to beat the heat.”

Zest

Energy and enthusiasm or the outer peel of citrus fruit. Example: “His zest for life inspired us to new heights, and we finished the project ahead of schedule.”