Word ladder answers for April 9, 2026
The daily ladder for Thursday, April 9, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was CAYS to PEALS, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was SWORE to SENDERS, 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: CAYS to PEALS
Show the solution
- C becomes P
- Y becomes L
- add E
Words in this ladder
- CAYS noun
- a coral reef off the southern coast of Florida
- PAYS noun
- something that remunerates
- PALS noun
- a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
- PEALS noun
- a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
Puzzle 2: CELLS to TILTS
Show the solution
- C becomes T
- E becomes I
- L becomes T
Words in this ladder
- CELLS noun
- any small compartment
- TELLS noun
- a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
- TILLS noun
- unstratified soil deposited by a glacier; consists of sand and clay and gravel and boulders mixed together
- TILTS noun
- a combat between two mounted knights tilting against each other with blunted lances
Puzzle 3: RUT to BLOOM
Show the solution
- U becomes O
- add O
- R becomes B
- T becomes M
- add L
Words in this ladder
- RUT noun
- a groove or furrow (especially one in soft earth caused by wheels)
- ROT noun
- a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor
- ROOT noun
- (botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground
- BOOT noun
- footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
- BOOM noun
- a deep prolonged loud noise
- BLOOM noun
- the organic process of bearing flowers
Puzzle 4: PLAYS to SLURS
Show the solution
- P becomes S
- Y becomes M
- A becomes U
- M becomes R
Words in this ladder
- PLAYS noun
- a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
- SLAYS verb
- kill intentionally and with premeditation
- SLAMS noun
- winning all or all but one of the tricks in bridge
- SLUMS noun
- a district of a city marked by poverty and inferior living conditions
- SLURS noun
- (music) a curved line spanning notes that are to be played legato
Puzzle 5: SWORE to SENDERS
Show the solution
- W becomes T
- O becomes A
- E becomes S
- T becomes E
- A becomes E
- add D
- add N
Words in this ladder
- SWORE verb
- utter obscenities or profanities
- STORE noun
- a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
- STARE noun
- a fixed look with eyes open wide
- STARS noun
- (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
- SEARS verb
- make very hot and dry
- SEERS noun
- a person with unusual powers of foresight
- SEDERS noun
- (Judaism) the ceremonial dinner on the first night (or both nights) of Passover
- SENDERS noun
- someone who transmits a message
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