Word ladder answers for April 24, 2026
The daily ladder for Friday, April 24, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was BACK to BULL, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was DUDS to RICHES, 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: BACK to BULL
Show the solution
- A becomes U
- C becomes L
- K becomes L
Words in this ladder
- BACK noun
- the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
- BUCK noun
- a gymnastic horse without pommels and with one end elongated; used lengthwise for vaulting
- BULK noun
- the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part
- BULL noun
- uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
Puzzle 2: PALE to DAMS
Show the solution
- P becomes D
- L becomes M
- E becomes S
Words in this ladder
- PALE noun
- a wooden strip forming part of a fence
- DALE noun
- an open river valley (in a hilly area)
- DAME noun
- informal terms for a (young) woman
- DAMS noun
- a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
Puzzle 3: DUDS to RICHES
Show the solution
- add E
- D becomes C
- U becomes I
- D becomes R
- add H
Words in this ladder
- DUDS noun
- informal terms for clothing
- DUDES noun
- an informal form of address for a man
- DUCES noun
- leader
- DICES noun
- a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the six faces; used in gambling to generate random numbers
- RICES noun
- grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished
- RICHES noun
- an abundance of material possessions and resources
Puzzle 4: NAYS to RISES
Show the solution
- Y becomes P
- A becomes I
- N becomes R
- add E
- P becomes S
Words in this ladder
- NAYS noun
- a negative
- NAPS noun
- a period of time spent sleeping
- NIPS noun
- a small drink of liquor
- RIPS noun
- a dissolute man in fashionable society
- RIPES verb
- tear or be torn violently
- RISES noun
- a growth in strength or number or importance
Puzzle 5: SUNDER to DANDLED
Show the solution
- U becomes A
- R becomes D
- S becomes H
- add L
- H becomes D
Words in this ladder
- SUNDER verb
- break apart or in two, using violence
- SANDER noun
- a power tool used for sanding wood; an endless loop of sandpaper is moved at high speed by an electric motor
- SANDED verb
- rub with sandpaper
- HANDED verb
- place into the hands or custody of
- HANDLED verb
- be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
- DANDLED verb
- move (a baby) up and down in one's arms or on one's knees
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