Word ladder answers for March 29, 2026

The daily ladder for Sunday, March 29, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was LIME to RICE, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was CUBAS to GRILLES, 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: LIME to RICE

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps · Solved by 4 players · 100% found a shortest path · 2.0 steps on average

Show the solution
  1. M becomes C
  2. L becomes R

Words in this ladder

LIME noun
a caustic substance produced by heating limestone
LICE noun
wingless usually flattened bloodsucking insect parasitic on warm-blooded animals
RICE noun
grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished

Puzzle 2: STILL to SWALE

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  1. I becomes A
  2. L becomes E
  3. T becomes W

Words in this ladder

STILL noun
a static photograph (especially one taken from a movie and used for advertising purposes)
STALL noun
a compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined and fed
STALE verb
urinate, of cattle and horses
SWALE noun
a low area (especially a marshy area between ridges)

Puzzle 3: COOP to BOOSTS

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  1. P becomes S
  2. C becomes B
  3. add T
  4. add S

Words in this ladder

COOP noun
a farm building for housing poultry
COOS noun
the sound made by a pigeon
BOOS noun
a cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt
BOOTS noun
footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
BOOSTS noun
the act of giving hope or support to someone

Puzzle 4: SLAKE to BEASTS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. K becomes T
  2. E becomes S
  3. L becomes E
  4. S becomes B
  5. add S

Words in this ladder

SLAKE verb
satisfy (thirst)
SLATE noun
(formerly) a writing tablet made of slate
SLATS noun
a thin strip (wood or metal)
SEATS noun
an area that includes places where several people can sit
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)
BEASTS noun
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

Puzzle 5: CUBAS to GRILLES

Hard Shortest solution: 7 steps

Show the solution
  1. A becomes E
  2. C becomes R
  3. B becomes L
  4. U becomes I
  5. E becomes L
  6. add G
  7. add E

Words in this ladder

CUBAS noun
a communist state in the Caribbean on the island of Cuba
CUBES noun
a hexahedron with six equal squares as faces
RUBES noun
a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
RULES noun
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
RILES verb
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
RILLS noun
a small stream
GRILLS noun
a restaurant where food is cooked on a grill
GRILLES noun
small opening (like a window in a door) through which business can be transacted

Today's puzzles are waiting

A new set of word ladders is released every day, free to play.

Play today's ladder