Word ladder answers for April 4, 2026

The daily ladder for Saturday, April 4, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was FACES to DIMES, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was BAWDS to TEEMS, which needs at least 5.

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: FACES to DIMES

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. C becomes M
  2. F becomes D
  3. A becomes I

Words in this ladder

FACES noun
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
FAMES noun
the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed
DAMES noun
informal terms for a (young) woman
DIMES noun
a United States coin worth one tenth of a dollar

Puzzle 2: RODS to ACIDS

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  1. O becomes I
  2. R becomes A
  3. add C

Words in this ladder

RODS noun
a long thin implement made of metal or wood
RIDS verb
relieve from
AIDS noun
a serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles
ACIDS noun
any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt

Puzzle 3: BAWDS to TEEMS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. W becomes R
  2. D becomes M
  3. A becomes E
  4. B becomes T
  5. R becomes E

Words in this ladder

BAWDS noun
a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money
BARDS noun
a lyric poet
BARMS noun
a commercial leavening agent containing yeast cells; used to raise the dough in making bread and for fermenting beer or whiskey
BERMS noun
a narrow ledge or shelf typically at the top or bottom of a slope
TERMS noun
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
TEEMS verb
be teeming, be abuzz

Puzzle 4: BONKS to TROPES

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps

Show the solution
  1. K becomes E
  2. B becomes T
  3. N becomes P
  4. add R

Words in this ladder

BONKS verb
have sexual intercourse with
BONES noun
a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
TONES noun
the quality of a person's voice
TOPES noun
a dome-shaped shrine erected by Buddhists
TROPES noun
language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense

Puzzle 5: SCALER to DREAMED

Hard Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  1. R becomes D
  2. C becomes E
  3. L becomes M
  4. S becomes R
  5. add D

Words in this ladder

SCALER noun
an electronic pulse counter used to count pulses that occur too rapidly to be recorded individually
SCALED verb
measure by or as if by a scale
SEALED verb
make tight; secure against leakage
SEAMED verb
put together with a seam
REAMED verb
squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer
DREAMED verb
have a daydream; indulge in a fantasy

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