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Word Ladder

Ladder #30 · Friday, October 30, 2026

Daily
Par 4 Steps: 0
  1. Start
  2. Targets l a n g

Tap a letter of CLASH to change it.

Under par!

You beat our shortest common-word ladder by 4.

0
Steps
4
Par
0
Hints

How to play Word Ladder

  1. 1

    Read the two words

    You start at the top word and need to reach the target at the bottom. Par shows the fewest steps our shortest common-word route needs.

  2. 2

    Tap one letter

    Choose the letter you want to change in your current word. It lifts up and turns blank, ready for a new letter.

  3. 3

    Pick its replacement

    Tap a key (or type it). If the result is a real word, it becomes your next rung. On a computer you can also type the whole next word in the box.

  4. 4

    Watch the target fill in

    Letters that already match the target turn green, so you can see how close you are after every step.

  5. 5

    Undo, hint or give up

    Undo takes back your last rung. A hint first tells you which letter to change, then the word itself. Give up shows a shortest ladder.

  6. 6

    Match or beat par

    Reach the target in par for a perfect ladder. Rarer words that our route avoids can sometimes get you under par.

Strategy: think about the target

Changing letters at random rarely gets you there. Strong ladder players work out early which letters must change and in what order. Look at the start and target side by side and count the letters that already match. Each of the others will need at least one step, so that count is the lowest score you could possibly get.

  • Lock in matching letters first. If the start and target share a letter in the same spot, try not to disturb it.
  • Swap vowels freely. Vowels are the most flexible letters. BAT, BET, BIT, BOT and BUT are all words, so vowels are great stepping stones.
  • Watch out for dead ends. Some words, especially ones with rare letters like J, Q, X or Z, have very few neighbors. Avoid stepping onto them unless they are part of the target.
  • Work backwards. If you are stuck, list a few words one letter away from the target. Then try to reach any of them instead.
  • Use undo. There's no penalty for backing out of a dead end, and only your final ladder counts.

Why word ladders are good for your brain

Every step makes you scan dozens of possible words, which trains spelling, vocabulary and pattern recognition at the same time. That is why teachers have used them in classrooms for well over a century. If you enjoy the mental workout, try building words from a set of letters with our word unscrambler, or browse 4-letter words and 5-letter words to plan your next climb.

Frequently asked questions

What is a word ladder?
A word ladder is a classic word puzzle, sometimes called a doublet or word golf. You turn one word into another by changing a single letter at a time, and every step in between has to be a real word. COLD can become WARM like this: COLD → CORD → WORD → WARD → WARM.
Which words are allowed?
Any word in the official US Scrabble dictionary (NWL) of the same length counts, plurals and past tenses included. Every step must change exactly one letter in place. You can't add, remove or rearrange letters.
What does par mean?
Par is the length of the shortest ladder that uses only common, everyday words. The daily puzzle is always chosen so that par is between four and six steps. A less common word can sometimes open a shortcut and put you under par.
How do hints work?
Each puzzle offers as many hints as you want. The first press tells you which letter to change next and how many steps remain on a shortest route from your current word. A second press reveals the word. Hints are counted in your result.
When is there a new daily ladder?
Every day at midnight US Eastern time. Daily puzzles switch between four- and five-letter words. You can also replay the last 14 days or play unlimited ladders in either length.
Is my streak saved?
Yes. Your streak, solved count and best score against par are saved in this browser. Solving the daily ladder on consecutive days builds your streak, and giving up ends it.
Who invented word ladders?
Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, published word ladders he called "Doublets" in 1879. The puzzle has been a favorite of teachers and puzzle columns ever since, partly because it builds spelling and vocabulary.

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