Word Ladder

How to play Word Ladder

Begin with the word on the left and enter a new four-letter word that differs by exactly one position. Keep changing one letter per move until you reach the target on the right. You may not rearrange letters, add a fifth letter, or repeat a word already in your path.

There can be more than one valid route. The built-in solution provides fair hints, but the game accepts any path made from recognized words. Undo removes only your latest step, so exploring a dead end does not force a restart.

A useful solving strategy

Compare the start and target by position. Matching positions can sometimes stay fixed, while differing positions identify the eventual changes. The shortest-looking route is not always possible because every intermediate combination must also be a word.

When stuck, think in word families: change a vowel to create a familiar base, then alter consonants one at a time. A hint offers one valid next step from the curated route and is counted in your result.

Daily selection and progress

The daily ladder is selected deterministically from a reviewed set of solvable transformations. Everyone receives the same start and target for a date. Completion is stored locally in this browser; practice chooses other ladders and does not change daily statistics.

Common questions