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A DAILY WORD CHAIN

The Word Ladder

One letter at a time

BY THE PUZZLE DESK · PLAY FREE

PUZZLE NOTES

Finding the Word Between

The beginning and end are given. Everything interesting happens in the middle.

The destination is visible; the route is the mystery.
THE PUZZLE DESK

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE

The goal word is visible from the start, yet a promising move can lead into a dead end. Progress comes from finding intermediate words rather than making one decisive guess.

Making a word look more like the destination can be tempting, but it still needs a useful follow-up. Sometimes it is worth stepping sideways by changing a different vowel or consonant. Each intermediate word reveals more of the available route. Because you can see both endpoints, the challenge feels less like guessing a secret answer and more like finding a way through a map made entirely of words.

HOW IT WORKS

Each step changes exactly one letter and must remain a valid four-letter word. The intermediate words are the puzzle: a locally useful change may not lead toward the goal.

IS THIS FOR YOU?

For players who like exploring word relationships and revising a route. Familiarity with everyday four-letter vocabulary helps more than fast typing.