Word ladder answers for April 17, 2026
The daily ladder for Friday, April 17, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SINE to SIXES, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was MAVENS to STACKEDS, 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: SINE to SIXES
Show the solution
- E becomes S
- add E
- N becomes X
Words in this ladder
- SINE noun
- ratio of the length of the side opposite the given angle to the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
- SINS noun
- estrangement from god
- SINES noun
- ratio of the length of the side opposite the given angle to the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
- SIXES noun
- the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
Puzzle 2: SON to GUT
Show the solution
- O becomes U
- S becomes G
- N becomes T
Words in this ladder
- SON noun
- a male human offspring
- SUN noun
- the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
- GUN noun
- a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
- GUT noun
- the part of the alimentary canal between the stomach and the anus
Puzzle 3: SWATS to STEMS
Show the solution
- W becomes E
- T becomes M
- A becomes E
- E becomes T
Words in this ladder
- SWATS noun
- a sharp blow
- SEATS noun
- an area that includes places where several people can sit
- SEAMS noun
- joint consisting of a line formed by joining two pieces
- SEEMS verb
- give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
- STEMS noun
- (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
Puzzle 4: BEARS to GRAFT
Show the solution
- R becomes N
- E becomes R
- B becomes G
- S becomes T
- N becomes F
Words in this ladder
- BEARS noun
- massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
- BEANS noun
- any of various edible seeds of plants of the family Leguminosae used for food
- BRANS noun
- broken husks of the seeds of cereal grains that are separated from the flour by sifting
- GRANS noun
- the mother of your father or mother
- GRANT noun
- any monetary aid
- GRAFT noun
- (surgery) tissue or organ transplanted from a donor to a recipient; in some cases the patient can be both donor and recipient
Puzzle 5: MAVENS to STACKEDS
Show the solution
- M becomes R
- N becomes R
- V becomes C
- add K
- R becomes T
- add S
- R becomes D
Words in this ladder
- MAVENS noun
- someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
- RAVENS noun
- large black bird with a straight bill and long wedge-shaped tail
- RAVERS noun
- a participant in a rave dancing party
- RACERS noun
- someone who drives racing cars at high speeds
- RACKERS noun
- an attendant who puts pool or billiard balls into a rack
- TACKERS noun
- a worker who fastens things by tacking them (as with tacks or by spotwelding)
- STACKERS noun
- a laborer who builds up a stack or pile
- STACKEDS verb
- load or cover with stacks
Today's puzzles are waiting
A new set of word ladders is released every day, free to play.
Play today's ladder