Word ladder answers for March 9, 2026
The daily ladder for Monday, March 9, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was MAN to MAIL, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was BRITS to DEBARKS, 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: ALPS to MACES
Show the solution
- P becomes E
- add M
- L becomes C
Words in this ladder
- ALPS noun
- a large mountain system in south-central Europe; scenic beauty and winter sports make them a popular tourist attraction
- ALES noun
- a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
- MALES noun
- an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
- MACES noun
- (trademark) a liquid that temporarily disables a person; prepared as an aerosol and sprayed in the face, it irritates the eyes and causes dizziness and immobilization
Puzzle 2: MAN to MAIL
Show the solution
- add I
- N becomes L
Words in this ladder
- MAN noun
- an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
- MAIN noun
- any very large body of (salt) water
- MAIL noun
- the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
Puzzle 3: MOPES to WANES
Show the solution
- P becomes L
- O becomes A
- L becomes N
- M becomes W
Words in this ladder
- MOPES noun
- an informal expression for a mildly depressed state
- MOLES noun
- the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
- MALES noun
- an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
- MANES noun
- a Persian prophet who founded Manichaeism (216-276)
- WANES noun
- a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)
Puzzle 4: DAG to SOTS
Show the solution
- A becomes O
- G becomes S
- add T
- D becomes S
Words in this ladder
- DAG noun
- 10 grams
- DOG noun
- a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
- DOS noun
- the federal department in the United States that sets and maintains foreign policies
- DOTS noun
- a very small circular shape
- SOTS noun
- a chronic drinker
Puzzle 5: BRITS to DEBARKS
Show the solution
- I becomes A
- R becomes E
- T becomes R
- B becomes D
- add B
- add K
Words in this ladder
- BRITS noun
- the people of Great Britain
- BRATS noun
- a very troublesome child
- BEATS noun
- a United States youth subculture of the 1950s; rejected possessions or regular work or traditional dress; for communal living and psychedelic drugs and anarchism; favored modern forms of jazz (e.g., bebop)
- BEARS noun
- massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
- DEARS noun
- a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
- DEBARS verb
- bar temporarily; from school, office, etc.
- DEBARKS verb
- go ashore
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