Word ladder answers for February 23, 2026
The daily ladder for Monday, February 23, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was PACE to LIME, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was STAIN to FLAKES, which needs at least 7.
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: PACE to LIME
Show the solution
- P becomes L
- C becomes M
- A becomes I
Words in this ladder
- PACE noun
- the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
- LACE noun
- a cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw together two edges (as of a shoe or garment)
- LAME noun
- someone who doesn't understand what is going on
- LIME noun
- a caustic substance produced by heating limestone
Puzzle 2: PITS to LIED
Show the solution
- T becomes E
- P becomes L
- S becomes D
Words in this ladder
- PITS noun
- a sizeable hole (usually in the ground)
- PIES noun
- dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
- LIES noun
- a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
- LIED noun
- a German art song of the 19th century for voice and piano
Puzzle 3: SEED to STUNT
Show the solution
- E becomes N
- D becomes T
- add T
- E becomes U
Words in this ladder
- SEED noun
- a small hard fruit
- SEND verb
- cause to go somewhere
- SENT noun
- 100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
- STENT noun
- a slender tube inserted inside a tubular body part (as a blood vessel) to provide support during and after surgical anastomosis
- STUNT noun
- a difficult or unusual or dangerous feat; usually done to gain attention
Puzzle 4: WAX to SICS
Show the solution
- W becomes S
- A becomes I
- X becomes S
- add C
Words in this ladder
- WAX noun
- any of various substances of either mineral origin or plant or animal origin; they are solid at normal temperatures and insoluble in water
- SAX noun
- a Belgian maker of musical instruments who invented the saxophone (1814-1894)
- SIX noun
- the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
- SIS noun
- a female person who has the same parents as another person
- SICS verb
- urge to attack someone
Puzzle 5: STAIN to FLAKES
Show the solution
- N becomes R
- I becomes R
- R becomes S
- add E
- R becomes K
- T becomes L
- S becomes F
Words in this ladder
- STAIN noun
- a soiled or discolored appearance
- STAIR noun
- support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
- STARR noun
- rock star and drummer for the Beatles (born in 1940)
- STARS noun
- (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
- STARES noun
- a fixed look with eyes open wide
- STAKES noun
- the money risked on a gamble
- SLAKES verb
- satisfy (thirst)
- FLAKES noun
- a crystal of snow
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