Word ladder answers for April 2, 2026
The daily ladder for Thursday, April 2, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was HOP to HAY, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was REIFY to PEONS, 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: HOP to HAY
Show the solution
- O becomes A
- P becomes Y
Words in this ladder
- HOP noun
- the act of hopping; jumping upward or forward (especially on one foot)
- HAP noun
- an accidental happening
- HAY noun
- grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
Puzzle 2: BIB to HINT
Show the solution
- B becomes T
- B becomes H
- add N
Words in this ladder
- BIB noun
- top part of an apron; covering the chest
- BIT noun
- a small piece or quantity of something
- HIT noun
- (baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball)
- HINT noun
- an indirect suggestion
Puzzle 3: WEAL to DEADS
Show the solution
- W becomes L
- L becomes S
- add D
- L becomes D
Words in this ladder
- WEAL noun
- a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions
- LEAL adjective
- faithful and true; - Harry Lauder
- LEAS noun
- a unit of length of thread or yarn
- LEADS noun
- an advantage held by a competitor in a race
- DEADS noun
- people who are no longer living
Puzzle 4: AFTERS to BLATHERS
Show the solution
- add R
- F becomes T
- R becomes L
- T becomes H
- add B
Words in this ladder
- AFTERS noun
- a dish served as the last course of a meal
- RAFTERS noun
- one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
- RATTERS noun
- a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
- LATTERS noun
- the second of two or the second mentioned of two
- LATHERS noun
- the froth produced by soaps or detergents
- BLATHERS noun
- foolish gibberish
Puzzle 5: REIFY to PEONS
Show the solution
- I becomes E
- Y becomes S
- F becomes L
- R becomes P
- L becomes N
- E becomes O
Words in this ladder
- REIFY verb
- consider an abstract concept to be real
- REEFY adjective
- full of submerged reefs or sandbanks or shoals
- REEFS noun
- a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
- REELS noun
- a roll of photographic film holding a series of frames to be projected by a movie projector
- PEELS noun
- British politician (1788-1850)
- PEENS noun
- the part of a hammerhead opposite the flat striking surface (may have various shapes)
- PEONS noun
- a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
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