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Word Ladder

Change one letter at a time to transform the start word into the target word. Every step must be a valid English word.

Ready to climb?

You will get a start word and a target word. Change one letter at a time — each step must be a real word.

How to Play Word Ladder

Word Ladder is a classic word puzzle invented by Lewis Carroll in 1877. The goal is simple: transform a starting word into a target word by changing one letter at a time. Every intermediate step must also be a valid English word.

For example, to go from CAT to DOG, you might play: CAT → COT → COG → DOG (3 steps).

Rules:

  • Change exactly one letter per step.
  • Every step must be a real English word in our dictionary.
  • The word length stays the same throughout the ladder.
  • Try to reach the target in as few steps as possible.

Difficulty levels:

  • Easy — 3-letter words (fewer possibilities but shorter paths).
  • Medium — 4-letter words (the classic challenge).
  • Hard — 5-letter words (many more combinations to consider).

The real satisfaction is finding a path shorter than you thought possible. Four-letter puzzles are the sweet spot — enough options to get creative, but tight enough that every step matters.