What Is a Word Ladder Game?

A word ladder is a classic word puzzle: starting from one word, you change a single letter at a time — every step a real word — until you reach a target word.

Overview

The word ladder (also called "doublets") was invented by Lewis Carroll in 1877 and has been in the public domain ever since. The rules are simple: you are given a start word and an end word of the same length, and you must transform one into the other by changing exactly one letter per step. Crucially, every intermediate word must itself be a real dictionary word.

StepWord gives you one fresh ladder every day. A start word and an end word of four or five letters appear at the top; your job is to bridge them. There is no hidden answer to guess and no per-letter color feedback — the only thing the game checks is whether each step you type is a valid one-letter change to a real word.

Because a ladder usually has many possible routes, the puzzle is about finding any chain that works — and then, if you like, finding the shortest one. StepWord shows the shortest possible length as "par", so you can aim for an optimal solve and compare your route with friends, who all play the exact same daily ladder (counted in UTC).

Strategy & tips

• Look at which letters differ between the start and end word, and which already match — the matching letters often want to stay put.
• Work from both ends: think about what words sit one step away from the end word, not just the start.
• Vowel swaps (cold → cord → card) are often the easiest bridges between two consonant frames.
• If you get stuck, the Hint button reveals the next word on a shortest path — use it sparingly to keep the challenge.

Worked example

A real, step-by-step word ladder. Each row changes exactly one letter from the row above; the changed letter is underlined.

1. LEAD

   Start. Start word — the given.

2. LOAD

   Step 1. Change the E to O. LOAD is a real word and only one letter moved.

3. GOAD

   Step 2. Change the L to G. GOAD keeps the chain alive toward GOLD.

4. GOLD

   Step 3. Change the A to L. We reach GOLD in three steps — par for this ladder.

FAQ

Who invented the word ladder?

Lewis Carroll devised it in 1877 under the name "doublets". The mechanic has been in the public domain for over a century, which is why anyone can build a word-ladder game on it.

Does every step have to be a real word?

Yes. Each step changes exactly one letter and must land on a valid dictionary word. If it is not in the dictionary, StepWord tells you plainly and lets you try again at no penalty.

Is there only one correct solution?

No. A ladder typically has many valid routes. You win by finding any chain to the end word; matching the shortest length ("par") earns an optimal-solve star.

What time does the daily ladder change?

A new puzzle unlocks at midnight UTC, and everyone worldwide gets the same start/end pair that day, so the page shows the date in UTC.

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