Word Ladder

What is Word Ladder?

Word Ladder is a classic word puzzle where you transform one word into another by changing a single letter at a time. Each step must form a valid English word. The challenge is finding the shortest path between the start word and the target word — sometimes the obvious route leads to a dead end and you need to think creatively.

A new Word Ladder puzzle is available every day on Gamesite. It is completely free to play in your browser on any device. The concept dates back to Lewis Carroll, who invented the game in 1877 under the name "Doublets."

How to Play

1. You are given a start word and a target word.
2. Change exactly one letter to form a new valid word.
3. Repeat until you reach the target word.
4. Each intermediate word must be a real English word.
5. Try to solve it in the fewest steps possible.

Tips & Strategy

• Work from both ends — think about what words are one step away from the target as well as the start.
• Focus on vowels first. Changing vowels often opens up more word options than consonants.
• If you get stuck, try changing a different letter position than the one you have been focusing on.
• Common short words (like CAT, DOG, HAT) have many neighbors — use them as stepping stones.
• There is usually more than one valid path. If your current route dead-ends, backtrack and try another.

Frequently Asked Questions