Play Word Ladder online
Word Ladder is an original word puzzle: climb from a start word to a target word by changing exactly one letter at a time, with every step a real word.
Six hand-built ladders grow from the classic CAT→DOG to the five-step LOVE→HATE climb. Each ladder has a step budget, so wandering costs lives — plan the route, use Hint when stuck, and Undo when a path dead-ends.
You have 3 lives and 300 seconds for the full run. Clearing all six ladders wins, and your fastest winning time is saved in your browser.
How to control Word Ladder
- Type the next word and press Enter or Climb
- Hint: H or Hint button (counts as a step)
- Undo: U or Undo button
- Mute: M or Mute button
How to play
- 1
Press START — the first ladder CAT → DOG appears.
- 2
Type a word that differs from the current word by exactly one letter and press Enter or Climb. Every step must be a real word in the game's list.
- 3
Reach the target within the step budget to clear the ladder, then climb the next one.
- 4
Clear all 6 ladders within 300 seconds to win. Going over budget costs a life and restarts the ladder; 3 lost lives ends the run. Your fastest winning time is saved in your browser.
Tips for a better run
Work backwards from the target: the last step before the target must differ by exactly one letter.
Short words hide traps — a tempting first step can lead to a word with no route to the target. Undo is free.
Use Hint when you are truly stuck: it always follows a shortest route, but it still spends one step of your budget.
Count your budget before a detour: a ladder solved one step over budget still costs a life.
Vowels are pivot points: changing a vowel often opens a whole new family of words.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a move?
Type a word that differs from the current word by exactly one letter, then press Climb or Enter. The word must be in this game's word list.
What happens if I use too many steps?
Each puzzle has a step budget (5–7 steps). Going over budget costs one of your 3 lives and restarts that puzzle. Reaching the target on the final budgeted step still counts.
What does Hint do, and what if I get stuck?
Hint fills in the next word on a shortest route to the target, and it counts as one of your steps. If there is no route from your current word, use Undo to step back.
How many puzzles are there, and how much time do I get?
Six hand-built ladders: CAT→DOG, COLD→WARM, LEAD→GOLD, LOVE→HATE, CUP→MUG and FOG→SUN. You have 300 seconds for the whole run.
What is saved as my best?
Your fastest winning time is saved in your browser as your best. It never leaves your device.
