Word ladder answers for April 3, 2026
The daily ladder for Friday, April 3, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was NIXES to NONES, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was CHAP to NABU, 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: NIXES to NONES
Show the solution
- X becomes N
- I becomes O
Words in this ladder
- NIXES noun
- a quantity of no importance
- NINES noun
- the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
- NONES noun
- the fifth of the seven canonical hours; about 3 p.m.
Puzzle 2: DUES to SEED
Show the solution
- D becomes S
- U becomes E
- S becomes D
Words in this ladder
- DUES noun
- that which is deserved or owed
- SUES noun
- French writer whose novels described the sordid side of city life (1804-1857)
- SEES noun
- the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
- SEED noun
- a small hard fruit
Puzzle 3: BULB to DOZE
Show the solution
- B becomes L
- B becomes D
- U becomes O
- L becomes E
- L becomes Z
Words in this ladder
- BULB noun
- a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
- BULL noun
- uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
- DULL verb
- make dull in appearance
- DOLL noun
- a small replica of a person; used as a toy
- DOLE noun
- a share of money or food or clothing that has been charitably given
- DOZE noun
- a light fitful sleep
Puzzle 4: TINE to DEAFS
Show the solution
- E becomes S
- I becomes E
- T becomes D
- add A
- N becomes F
Words in this ladder
- TINE noun
- prong on a fork or pitchfork or antler
- TINS noun
- a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
- TENS noun
- the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
- DENS noun
- the habitation of wild animals
- DEANS noun
- an administrator in charge of a division of a university or college
- DEAFS noun
- people who have severe hearing impairments
Puzzle 5: CHAP to NABU
Show the solution
- A becomes O
- H becomes O
- P becomes S
- O becomes B
- O becomes A
- C becomes N
- S becomes U
Words in this ladder
- CHAP noun
- a boy or man
- CHOP noun
- the irregular motion of waves (usually caused by wind blowing in a direction opposite to the tide)
- COOP noun
- a farm building for housing poultry
- COOS noun
- the sound made by a pigeon
- COBS noun
- nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus
- CABS noun
- a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
- NABS verb
- tag the base runner to get him out
- NABU noun
- Babylonian god of wisdom and agriculture and patron of scribes and schools
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