Word ladder answers for February 15, 2026
The daily ladder for Sunday, February 15, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was MENS to PEAT, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was LEGS to DANAU, 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: MENS to PEAT
Show the solution
- M becomes P
- N becomes A
- S becomes T
Words in this ladder
- MENS noun
- the force of workers available
- PENS noun
- a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
- PEAS noun
- seed of a pea plant used for food
- PEAT noun
- partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried
Puzzle 2: LARKS to BAUDS
Show the solution
- L becomes B
- K becomes D
- R becomes U
Words in this ladder
- LARKS noun
- North American songbirds having a yellow breast
- BARKS noun
- tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
- BARDS noun
- a lyric poet
- BAUDS noun
- (computer science) a data transmission rate (bits/second) for modems
Puzzle 3: ZAP to TRUST
Show the solution
- Z becomes R
- P becomes T
- A becomes U
- add S
- add T
Words in this ladder
- ZAP noun
- a sudden event that imparts energy or excitement, usually with a dramatic impact
- RAP noun
- a reproach for some lapse or misdeed
- RAT noun
- any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
- RUT noun
- a groove or furrow (especially one in soft earth caused by wheels)
- RUST noun
- a red or brown oxide coating on iron or steel caused by the action of oxygen and moisture
- TRUST noun
- something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
Puzzle 4: NOT to SINUS
Show the solution
- O becomes I
- N becomes S
- T becomes S
- add N
- add U
Words in this ladder
- NOT adverb
- negation of a word or group of words
- NIT noun
- a luminance unit equal to 1 candle per square meter measured perpendicular to the rays from the source
- SIT verb
- be seated
- SIS noun
- a female person who has the same parents as another person
- SINS noun
- estrangement from god
- SINUS noun
- an abnormal passage leading from a suppurating cavity to the body surface
Puzzle 5: LEGS to DANAU
Show the solution
- E becomes A
- G becomes D
- L becomes D
- add A
- D becomes N
- S becomes U
Words in this ladder
- LEGS noun
- staying power
- LAGS noun
- the act of slowing down or falling behind
- LADS noun
- a boy or man
- DADS noun
- an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
- DADAS noun
- an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
- DANAS noun
- Celtic goddess who was the mother of the Tuatha De Danann; identified with the Welsh Don
- DANAU noun
- the 2nd longest European river (after the Volga); flows from southwestern Germany to the Black Sea
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