Word ladder answers for February 17, 2026
The daily ladder for Tuesday, February 17, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was TOR to STY, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was HEED to STROPPED, 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: TOR to STY
Show the solution
- R becomes Y
- T becomes S
- O becomes T
Words in this ladder
- TOR noun
- a prominent rock or pile of rocks on a hill
- TOY noun
- an artifact designed to be played with
- SOY noun
- a source of oil; used for forage and soil improvement and as food
- STY noun
- an infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid
Puzzle 2: SLAWS to CLANK
Show the solution
- S becomes C
- W becomes N
- S becomes K
Words in this ladder
- SLAWS noun
- basically shredded cabbage
- CLAWS noun
- sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
- CLANS noun
- group of people related by blood or marriage
- CLANK noun
- a loud resonant repeating noise
Puzzle 3: AILS to AWAY
Show the solution
- L becomes R
- S becomes Y
- I becomes W
- R becomes A
Words in this ladder
- AILS noun
- aromatic bulb used as seasoning
- AIRS noun
- affected manners intended to impress others
- AIRY adjective
- open to or abounding in fresh air
- AWRY adjective
- turned or twisted toward one side; - G.K.Chesterton
- AWAY adjective
- not present; having left
Puzzle 4: PLATE to JESTS
Show the solution
- E becomes S
- L becomes E
- A becomes S
- P becomes J
Words in this ladder
- PLATE noun
- (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
- PLATS noun
- a map showing planned or actual features of an area (streets and building lots etc.)
- PEATS noun
- partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried
- PESTS noun
- a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
- JESTS noun
- a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
Puzzle 5: HEED to STROPPED
Show the solution
- E becomes O
- H becomes T
- add P
- add P
- add S
- add R
Words in this ladder
- HEED noun
- paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people)
- HOED verb
- dig with a hoe
- TOED verb
- walk so that the toes assume an indicated position or direction
- TOPED verb
- drink excessive amounts of alcohol; be an alcoholic
- TOPPED verb
- be superior or better than some standard
- STOPPED verb
- come to a halt, stop moving
- STROPPED verb
- sharpen on a strop
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