Word ladder answers for March 6, 2026

The daily ladder for Friday, March 6, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was PAP to WAIL, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was COILS to DIRTS, 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: PAP to WAIL

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. P becomes L
  2. add I
  3. P becomes W

Words in this ladder

PAP noun
worthless or oversimplified ideas
PAL noun
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
PAIL noun
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
WAIL noun
a cry of sorrow and grief

Puzzle 2: GOB to COPY

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. G becomes C
  2. B becomes Y
  3. add P

Words in this ladder

GOB noun
a man who serves as a sailor
COB noun
nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus
COY adjective
affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
COPY noun
a reproduction of a written record (e.g. of a legal or school record)

Puzzle 3: DUAL to SEWED

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. U becomes E
  2. L becomes D
  3. A becomes E
  4. D becomes S
  5. add W

Words in this ladder

DUAL adjective
consisting of or involving two parts or components usually in pairs
DEAL noun
a particular instance of buying or selling
DEAD noun
people who are no longer living
DEED noun
a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it
SEED noun
a small hard fruit
SEWED verb
fasten by sewing; do needlework

Puzzle 4: BRAY to TOPIS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. Y becomes S
  2. R becomes O
  3. A becomes P
  4. B becomes T
  5. add I

Words in this ladder

BRAY noun
the cry of an ass
BRAS noun
an undergarment worn by women to support their breasts
BOAS noun
a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
BOPS noun
the law enforcement agency of the Justice Department that operates a nationwide system of prisons and detention facilities to incarcerate inmates sentenced to imprisonment for federal crimes
TOPS noun
the upper part of anything
TOPIS noun
a lightweight hat worn in tropical countries for protection from the sun

Puzzle 5: COILS to DIRTS

Hard Shortest solution: 6 steps

Show the solution
  1. I becomes O
  2. L becomes K
  3. O becomes R
  4. C becomes D
  5. O becomes I
  6. K becomes T

Words in this ladder

COILS noun
a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops
COOLS noun
the quality of being at a refreshingly low temperature
COOKS noun
someone who cooks food
CORKS noun
outer bark of the cork oak; used for stoppers for bottles etc.
DORKS noun
a dull stupid fatuous person
DIRKS noun
a relatively long dagger with a straight blade
DIRTS noun
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock

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