Word Ladder
Puzzle, Word · Updated
Word Ladder is a word puzzle with one rule: change a single letter at a time, and every step must be a real word. You start with one word, the target sits at the bottom, and your job is to climb from one to the other in as few steps as you can. This version has a daily ladder, unlimited new ones, and three word lengths, and it runs in your browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer.
How to play
A ladder from COLD to WARM looks like this: COLD, CORD, CARD, WARD, WARM. Each word changes one letter of the word before it, and the letters stay in their places, so you never add, remove or reorder letters.
- Type the next word on your keyboard or the on-screen keys, then press Enter.
- A letter that already matches the target turns green, and the letter you changed is underlined.
- Undo takes back your last word. Words you have already used cannot be used again.
You win when you type the target word. The counter shows your steps against par, the fewest steps using common words.
Word lengths and par
- 3 letters is quick and friendly, with a par of 3 to 5 steps. CAT to DOG goes CAT, COT, COG, DOG.
- 4 letters is the classic word ladder, with a par of 4 to 6 steps.
- 5 letters has far fewer neighbouring words, so the route matters more. Par is 5 to 7 steps.
Every ladder is built from common words and checked by a solver, so par is always possible. You can use rarer real words on the way, and sometimes they get you there in fewer steps than par.
Daily and unlimited ladders
Daily gives everyone the same ladder for the day in each word length, which makes it easy to compare with friends. New makes another ladder straight away, as many as you like. Each length keeps count of the ladders you have solved and how many were perfect: in par, with no hints.
Hints and solutions
Hint adds the next word on a shortest route of common words from wherever you are. If you have wandered off, it rewinds your ladder to the best place to try again. Solution shows a complete ladder in par when you want to move on.
A puzzle older than crosswords
Lewis Carroll invented the game and called it Doublets. He published it in Vanity Fair in 1879, with challenges like turning HEAD into TAIL. Teachers still use word ladders for spelling and vocabulary, because every step means thinking about how a word is built.
Who it is for
A 3-letter ladder takes a minute, so it suits a quick daily habit or younger players; a 5-letter ladder at par is a proper challenge. For another word game, try Hangman. If you like logic puzzles, try Star Battle and its queens puzzle, or a round of Sudoku.
How to get a high score
- Look at the target first. Every letter that already matches the target, shown in green, is one you may not need to touch again.
- Vowels are the hard part. Swapping a vowel opens up far more words than swapping a consonant, so change vowels early when you are stuck.
- Sometimes you have to step away from the target. Changing a letter that is already right can open a path that a straight route cannot.
- Count the letters that differ. If the start and target differ in four places, the ladder needs at least four steps, so par is never lower than that.
- Work backwards. Think of words one step away from the target, then aim for one of those instead.
Questions
How do you play word ladder?
You get a start word and a target word of the same length. Change one letter at a time to make a new real word each step, and keep going until you reach the target. Fewer steps is better.
What does par mean?
Par is the fewest steps possible using common words. Every ladder is checked when it is made, so par is always reachable. Reaching the target in par without hints counts as a perfect ladder.
Which words are allowed?
Any ordinary English word of the right length, including plurals and past tenses. Names, abbreviations and offensive words are not accepted. Start and target words are always common words, and hints use common words whenever they can.
Is there a daily word ladder?
Yes. Daily gives everyone the same ladder for the day in each word length. New makes another one whenever you want, so you can play as many as you like.
What if I get stuck?
Hint adds the next word on a shortest route of common words from where you are. If you went the wrong way, it takes you back to the best place to try again. Solution shows a ladder in par and ends the round.
Who invented the word ladder?
Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland. He called it Doublets and published it in Vanity Fair in 1879, with puzzles like turning HEAD into TAIL.
