How the Word Ladder works
Invented by Lewis Carroll in 1877, a word ladder asks you to travel from one word to another by changing a single letter at each step, where every rung along the way must itself be a real word. Each day you're given a start word and a goal word, both four letters long, and your job is to build the chain that connects them. Change one letter, land on a valid word, then change another — keep going until the goal appears. Because the two words come from the calendar date, everyone plays the same ladder, and a fresh pair arrives at midnight your local time. Your progress is saved in your browser.
Par, steps, and winning
Every ladder has a par — the smallest number of steps that connects the two words. Reaching the goal in par means you found an optimal route, and it's a real satisfying click when you do. Don't worry if you take a detour, though: any chain that legally reaches the goal counts as a win, and your score is simply how many steps you used compared to par. Reaching the goal at all keeps your daily streak alive when you return tomorrow.
Tips for climbing faster
Look at which letters the start and goal already share, and try to preserve them while you swap the others. It often helps to work from both ends — imagine what word sits one step before the goal, then meet it in the middle. Vowel swaps (cat → cot → cog) are the workhorses of most ladders, so when you're stuck, test changing the vowel first. If you truly can't find the next rung, the Hint button will reveal one valid move that keeps you on the shortest path.
Prefer a tool?
Our word lists and the anagram solver are great for widening the pool of four-letter words you know, which is exactly what makes ladders easier. They pair naturally with the daily climb.
More games
Share your climb
Post how many steps it took and challenge a friend to match par.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you play the Daily Word Ladder?
- Start from the given word and reach the goal by changing exactly one letter at a time, where every rung is a real word.
- What is par?
- Par is the fewest steps needed to connect the two words. Reaching the goal in par or fewer is optimal; extra steps still win.
- Is the ladder the same for everyone?
- Yes — the start and goal come from the calendar date, so every player gets the same ladder each day. A new one appears at midnight your local time.