Word Ladder
Lewis Carroll called them doublets. Today most people know them as word ladders: climb from one word to another, changing a single letter each step.
Word Ladder rules in short
- Read the start and target
Both words are shown at the top and bottom of the ladder.
- Change one letter
Type a real word that differs by exactly one letter.
- No shuffling
You cannot add, remove or reorder letters.
- Back out of dead ends
Press backspace on an empty row to bring back your last word.
- Reach the target
Compare your steps with the shortest solution.
Word Ladder at a glance
- Puzzles a day
- 3
- Easy
- 4 letter words
- Medium
- 5 letter words
- Hard
- 6 letter words
- Goal
- Match the shortest known path
- Archive
- Yes
- Category
- Word games, word grids
A worked example
| Step | Word | Letter changed |
|---|---|---|
| Start | COLD | |
| 1 | CORD | L to R |
| 2 | CARD | O to A |
| 3 | WARD | C to W |
| 4 | WARM | D to M |
Meet in the middle
Before typing, list a few words one letter away from the target. Then look for a path from the start toward any of them. Short ladders often come together around a common middle word with friendly letters like A, E or R.
Questions people ask about Word Ladder
What is a word ladder example?
A well known one turns COLD into WARM: COLD, CORD, CARD, WARD, WARM. Each step changes one letter and is a real word.
Is there a word ladder solver?
The site offers a hint for each ladder rather than a full solver, so you still get to finish it yourself.
Are there printable word ladder puzzles?
This site is for playing online. Its archive lets you replay past ladders.
How is it scored?
By how many steps you took compared with the shortest known path.
Ways to get better at Word Ladder
- Lock in letters the two words already share.
- Vowels are the easiest letters to swap, so use them as bridges.
- If you need a nudge, the site has a hint for each day's ladder.
Facts checked on 2026-11-10. Word Ladder belongs to Word Ladder. Megadle is not linked to it.