Word ladder answers for March 26, 2026

The daily ladder for Thursday, March 26, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was HEELS to FUELS, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was NEWS to GUISES, 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: BOAR to LOOT

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. R becomes T
  2. A becomes O
  3. B becomes L

Words in this ladder

BOAR noun
Old World wild swine having a narrow body and prominent tusks from which most domestic swine come; introduced in United States
BOAT noun
a small vessel for travel on water
BOOT noun
footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
LOOT noun
goods or money obtained illegally

Puzzle 2: HEELS to FUELS

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps

Show the solution
  1. H becomes F
  2. E becomes U

Words in this ladder

HEELS noun
the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
FEELS noun
an intuitive awareness; or
FUELS noun
a substance that can be consumed to produce energy

Puzzle 3: GHEE to SLOES

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. H becomes L
  2. G becomes A
  3. E becomes S
  4. add O
  5. A becomes S

Words in this ladder

GHEE noun
clarified butter used in Indian cookery
GLEE noun
great merriment
ALEE adverb
on or toward the lee
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
ALOES noun
a purgative made from the leaves of aloe
SLOES noun
wild plum of northeastern United States having dark purple fruits with yellow flesh

Puzzle 4: BOOM to BLAST

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps

Show the solution
  1. M becomes T
  2. add S
  3. O becomes A
  4. O becomes L

Words in this ladder

BOOM noun
a deep prolonged loud noise
BOOT noun
footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
BOOST noun
the act of giving hope or support to someone
BOAST noun
speaking of yourself in superlatives
BLAST noun
a very long fly ball

Puzzle 5: NEWS to GUISES

Hard Shortest solution: 7 steps

Show the solution
  1. W becomes T
  2. N becomes G
  3. E becomes I
  4. add L
  5. add U
  6. T becomes E
  7. L becomes S

Words in this ladder

NEWS noun
information about recent and important events
NETS noun
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
GETS noun
a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent
GITS noun
a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
GILTS noun
a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold
GUILTS noun
the state of having committed an offense
GUILES noun
shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
GUISES noun
an artful or simulated semblance

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