Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you might want to know about Word Labyrinth and word ladders, in one place.
What is Word Labyrinth?
Word Labyrinth is a free word-ladder puzzle game on web, iOS and Android. You transform a start word into a target word by changing exactly one letter at a time; every intermediate word must be a real English word.
What is a word ladder?
A word ladder is a puzzle that links a start word to a target word through a chain of intermediate words. Adjacent words in the chain differ by exactly one letter, and every word must be a valid dictionary word. See our full guide on what a word ladder is.
Who invented the word ladder puzzle?
Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) invented it on Christmas Day 1877 and called it Doublets. The puzzle ran as a regular column in Vanity Fair magazine starting 29 March 1879. Read more in the history of Lewis Carroll's Doublets.
Is Word Labyrinth free?
Yes. The daily 5-puzzle ladder, the leaderboard, streaks and the core game are free on web, iOS and Android. There are optional in-app purchases for hints and streak freezes; everything that matters for ranking is available without paying.
Do I need an account?
No account is required to play the daily ladder. You will need to sign in (Google, Apple, Facebook, or email) if you want your progress synced between devices and shown on the global leaderboard.
Can I play Word Labyrinth on mobile?
Yes. Word Labyrinth runs in any modern mobile browser and is available as a native app on iOS and Android.
How long does each puzzle take?
Most daily puzzles take one to three minutes each. The full daily ladder of 5 puzzles takes most players 6–15 minutes.
What dictionary does Word Labyrinth use?
Word Labyrinth uses a curated English word list comparable in scope to those used in Scrabble and Wordle, with rare and offensive words filtered out for puzzle suitability.
How is Word Labyrinth different from Wordle?
Wordle is a deduction puzzle where you guess a hidden 5-letter word from coloured clues. Word Labyrinth is a transformation puzzle: both words are visible from the start and your task is to find the shortest valid sequence of one-letter changes that connects them. See our full comparison.
How is Word Labyrinth different from Weaver?
Weaver is a 4-letter daily word ladder. Word Labyrinth offers 5 daily puzzles of varying lengths (3 to 6 letters), an unlimited Expert mode, a leaderboard, streaks, and hints.
What are hints and how do they work?
A hint reveals the next correct letter on an optimal path: it shows you which letter to change and what to change it to. You still type the new word yourself. Hints cost a small amount of in-game currency, which is awarded for daily completions and streak milestones.
What are streaks?
A streak counts consecutive days where you finished the full daily ladder. Reaching 3, 7, 14, 30, 60, 100 or 365 days unlocks free hints. If you miss a day, a streak freeze (granted automatically, more can be earned or bought) covers it and keeps your streak alive.
Can I challenge friends?
Yes. The daily ladder is the same for everyone worldwide, so you can compare scores directly with friends. There is also a share button on the post-game screen.
What is the optimal strategy?
Two principles work well: keep letters that already match the target, and change letters that differ first. Recognise that vowel pivots open many real-word neighbours, and learn the common bridge words. See 10 tips for shorter solutions for more.
Why are some intermediate words so unusual?
Word ladders sometimes need words like CORD, GIRT, BROOD or LOAM as bridges between common words. Knowing the corners of the dictionary is part of the skill of the game.
Can I see the optimal solution after I finish?
Yes. After completing each puzzle you can tap to view the optimal path the game's solver found, alongside your own path.
Is Word Labyrinth accessible?
Word Labyrinth supports light and dark themes, large-font mode, full keyboard navigation on the web, and screen-reader labels on interactive elements.
Does the game work offline?
The game requires an internet connection to fetch the daily ladder and submit scores. Practice / Custom mode works once the app or page is loaded.
How do I delete my account or export my data?
Open Settings → Account → Delete account or Export data. The export is a JSON file with your puzzle history. Account deletion is irreversible after a 14-day grace period.
Who makes Word Labyrinth?
Word Labyrinth is built by CoreDL d.o.o. Contact details are on the Impressum page. See also about Word Labyrinth.