Word Ladder: Change One Letter at a Time
Climb a word ladder in this free online word puzzle. You get a start word and a goal word of the same length. Change just one letter at a time, making a real English word at every step, until you reach the goal. Each puzzle is generated fresh, and you can always ask for a hint.
Quick answer: Type a word that differs from the last word by exactly one letter and press Enter. Keep going until you reach the goal word. For example, CAT → COT → DOT → DOG turns CAT into DOG in three steps. The changed letter is highlighted on each new rung.
How to play the word ladder game
- Pick 3- or 4-letter words and a level. The level sets how many steps the shortest ladder needs.
- Type the next word. It must be a real word and change only one letter of the previous word.
- Reach the goal word to finish. Try to match the shortest possible ladder shown at the top.
- Stuck? Hint suggests the next word, Undo removes your last word, and Show a solution reveals one shortest ladder.
Word ladder tips
- Look at the goal letters. Change a letter to the one the goal word has in that spot whenever you can.
- Vowels are bridges. Swapping a vowel (CAT, COT, CUT) often opens up a new path.
- Go sideways. Sometimes you must change a letter that is already right to get around a dead end.
- Use common words. Short everyday words connect to the most other words.
Example word ladders
| Puzzle | One solution |
|---|---|
| CAT to DOG | CAT, COT, DOT, DOG |
| COLD to WARM | COLD, CORD, CARD, WARD, WARM |
| HEAD to TAIL | HEAD, HEAL, TEAL, TELL, TALL, TAIL |
Word ladders were invented by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, who called them “doublets” in 1877. For more word fun, try the word scramble, hangman or the word unscrambler.
FAQ
Which words are allowed?
Any common English word of the right length. Rarer words are also accepted once the full dictionary has loaded.
Does every puzzle have a solution?
Yes. Each puzzle is checked when it is made, so there is always a path using common words.
More free games and tools
See all of them on the QuickOnlineTips free online tools page and the free online games page.