Word Ladder Examples: 14 Puzzles With Answers

Here are 14 word ladder puzzles with answers, in three levels: 3-letter ladders for kids and beginners, 4-letter ladders, and harder 5-letter ladders. In each one, change one letter at a time to get from the start word to the target, making a real word at every step. The number of steps shown is the fewest possible, and the answers are at the bottom of the page.

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By the GameLake team · Published November 5, 2026

How to solve these puzzles

Each puzzle gives you a start word, a target word and the number of steps the shortest answer takes. Change exactly one letter per step, keep the other letters in place, and make sure every word you write is a real word. Here is a solved example that isn't one of the puzzles below:

BOY to MAN in three steps: change the O, then the B, then the Y.

Before you start, compare the two words letter by letter. If three letters differ, you need at least three steps. If the puzzle says more, one letter will have to change twice.

Level 1: 3-letter word ladders (great for kids)

Short, everyday words make these a good first try for children and beginners. Say each new word out loud: it helps to hear whether it's real.

Level 1: change one letter per step. Answers at the bottom.
#	Start	Target	Steps
1	PIG	HEN	3
2	TOP	HAT	3
3	FUN	JOY	4
4	DAY	SUN	4
5	WET	DRY	5

Level 2: 4-letter word ladders

Four letters give you more words to choose from, but also more ways to get lost. Watch for the vowel change: it's usually the step that takes the longest to find.

Level 2: four-letter words. Several need a detour, where one letter changes twice.
#	Start	Target	Steps
6	GOLD	COIN	4
7	MILK	CAKE	4
8	SOUP	BOWL	4
9	HOPE	WISH	5
10	DUCK	SWAN	6

Level 3: 5-letter word ladders

Five-letter words have far fewer neighbors, so these ladders are longer and you'll need to plan a few steps ahead. Working backwards from the target helps a lot here.

Level 3: five-letter words. BLACK to WHITE is the longest climb on the page.
#	Start	Target	Steps
11	STYLE	SHIRT	5
12	STONE	SHELL	5
13	SLEEP	DREAM	6
14	BLACK	WHITE	8

Using them as a printable worksheet

Print this page, or copy each start and target word onto paper with one blank line per step in between.
Fold the page or cover the bottom before handing it out: the answers are all in the last section.
For younger kids, stick to Level 1 and let them use a picture dictionary to check words.
In class, ladders are a quiet way to practice spelling and vowel sounds. Try timing a round, or let pairs race on the same ladder.
Any answer that follows the rules and uses the same number of steps is just as right as ours.

Answers

Each answer below is a shortest ladder, checked against GameLake's word lists. Some puzzles have more than one shortest answer, so yours may be different and still correct.

Level 1 answers

#	Answer
1	PIG → PIN → PEN → HEN
2	TOP → HOP → HOT → HAT
3	FUN → BUN → BUY → BOY → JOY
4	DAY → RAY → RAN → RUN → SUN
5	WET → SET → SAT → SAY → DAY → DRY

Level 2 answers

#	Answer
6	GOLD → COLD → CORD → CORN → COIN
7	MILK → MILE → MALE → MAKE → CAKE
8	SOUP → SOUL → SOIL → BOIL → BOWL
9	HOPE → ROPE → ROSE → RISE → WISE → WISH
10	DUCK → DOCK → SOCK → SOAK → SOAP → SWAP → SWAN

Level 3 answers

#	Answer
11	STYLE → STOLE → STORE → SHORE → SHORT → SHIRT
12	STONE → STOLE → STALE → STALL → SHALL → SHELL
13	SLEEP → BLEEP → BLEED → BREED → BREAD → DREAD → DREAM
14	BLACK → SLACK → SLICK → SLICE → SPICE → SPINE → SHINE → WHINE → WHITE

Answer 1: each letter changes once.

Answer 8: the third letter goes U, I, W.

Answer 12: the third letter goes O, A, E.

Make your own word ladder

Pick two words of the same length that go together: opposites (WET, DRY), pairs (PIG, HEN) or a theme (MILK, CAKE).
Try to link them, writing each step underneath the last.
When you find a ladder, look for a shorter one. The shortest you can find is your par.
Swap with a friend and see who climbs it in fewer steps.

Not every pair can be joined, and some need surprisingly long detours. For an endless supply of ladders that are always solvable, play Word Ladder on GameLake: it has Easy, Medium and Hard levels and a new Daily ladder every day. New to the game? Start with how to play word ladder, then pick up the word ladder tips. If you like this kind of puzzle, try unscrambling words next.

Frequently asked questions

What is an example of a word ladder?

PIG to HEN: PIG, PIN, PEN, HEN. Each step changes one letter and makes a real word, and the ladder ends on the target word.

Can a word ladder have more than one answer?

Yes. Many puzzles have several shortest answers. Any ladder that follows the rules and uses the same number of steps is correct.

What are good word ladders for kids?

Three-letter ladders with familiar words, like PIG to HEN or TOP to HAT. The Level 1 ladders on this page take three to five steps and use words kids already know.

How do I check a word ladder answer?

Check that every word is real, that each one differs from the word above it in exactly one letter, and that the letters stay in the same places.

Where can I play word ladders online?

GameLake's Word Ladder is free in your browser, with three levels, a Daily ladder and races against friends.

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