About Word Ladder
Word ladders go back to Lewis Carroll, who called them Doublets. Each day you get a start word and a goal word of four letters. Change one letter at a time to get from one to the other, and make sure every step along the way is a real word.
How to play Word Ladder
- Start from the top word. Change exactly one letter to make a new real word, then press Enter.
- Keep going, one letter at a time, until you reach the goal word at the bottom.
- Tap a letter of your next word to change just that letter, or type the whole word.
- The par is the fewest steps possible. Undo takes back your last step. Fewest steps wins, then time.
Tips & strategy
- Work from both ends: think about which words are one letter away from the goal, then aim for them.
- Vowels are often the easiest letters to change, so try swapping them first when you are stuck.
- Compare the start and goal letter by letter. Letters they already share may never need to change.
- Par is the shortest possible ladder. Matching it takes planning, so do not worry if your first ladder is longer.
Word Ladder: questions and answers
What is par in Word Ladder?
Par is the fewest steps needed to get from the start word to the goal. Every daily ladder is checked to have a path of exactly that length.
Can I take a step back?
Yes. Undo takes back your last step, as often as you like, until you reach the goal.
Which words are allowed?
Every step must be a real four-letter word from our word list. Names and abbreviations are not accepted.
How do I find a short route?
Count the letters that differ between the start and the goal: that is the fewest steps possible. Work backwards from the goal as well as forwards, and change vowels first, since a vowel swap almost always makes a real word.
Can I change the order of the letters?
No. Each step changes exactly one letter in its place; moving letters around is not a step.