Word Labyrinth

Word ladder answers for February 12, 2026

The daily ladder for Thursday, February 12, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SAME to RAKE, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was MATTINGS to THINNINGS, which needs at least 6.

Each solution below is hidden until you open it, so you can try the puzzle first. A shortest solution is shown for every puzzle; many ladders have more than one path of the same length, so yours may differ and still be optimal.

Puzzle 1: SAME to RAKE

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps · Solved by 3 players · 67% found a shortest path · 2.3 steps on average

Show the solution
  2. M becomes K
  3. S becomes R

Words in this ladder

SAME noun
a member of an indigenous nomadic people living in northern Scandinavia and herding reindeer
SAKE noun
a reason for wanting something done
RAKE noun
a dissolute man in fashionable society

Puzzle 2: LAID to SKIS

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. L becomes S
  3. A becomes K
  4. D becomes S

Words in this ladder

LAID verb
put into a certain place or abstract location
SAID verb
express in words
SKID noun
one of a pair of planks used to make a track for rolling or sliding objects
SKIS noun
narrow wood or metal or plastic runners used in pairs for gliding over snow

Puzzle 3: PARTY to PHONES

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  2. Y becomes S
  3. A becomes O
  4. T becomes E
  5. R becomes N
  6. add H

Words in this ladder

PARTY noun
an organization to gain political power
PARTS noun
the local environment
PORTS noun
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
PORES noun
any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)
PONES noun
cornbread often made without milk or eggs and baked or fried (southern)
PHONES noun
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds

Puzzle 4: GELD to SHRILL

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  2. E becomes I
  3. D becomes L
  4. G becomes H
  5. add S
  6. add R

Words in this ladder

GELD verb
cut off the testicles (of male animals such as horses)
GILD noun
a formal association of people with similar interests
GILL noun
a British imperial capacity unit (liquid or dry) equal to 5 fluid ounces or 142.066 cubic centimeters
HILL noun
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
SHILL noun
a decoy who acts as an enthusiastic customer in order to stimulate the participation of others
SHRILL verb
utter a shrill cry

Puzzle 5: MATTINGS to THINNINGS

Hard Shortest solution: 6 steps

Show the solution
  2. M becomes B
  3. T becomes N
  4. T becomes N
  5. B becomes T
  6. A becomes I
  7. add H

Words in this ladder

MATTINGS noun
a covering of coarse fabric (usually of straw or hemp)
BATTINGS noun
(baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base
BANTINGS noun
Canadian physiologist who discovered insulin with C. H. Best and who used it to treat diabetes(1891-1941)
BANNINGS noun
an official prohibition or edict against something
TANNINGS noun
process in which skin pigmentation darkens as a result of exposure to ultraviolet light
TINNINGS noun
the application of a thin layer of soft solder to the ends of wires before soldering them
THINNINGS noun
the act of diluting something

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