Word Labyrinth

Word ladder answers for May 4, 2026

The daily ladder for Monday, May 4, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SERGE to MANGE, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was CASK to BATTLES, 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: SERGE to MANGE

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  2. S becomes M
  3. E becomes A
  4. R becomes N

Words in this ladder

SERGE noun
a twilled woolen fabric
MERGE verb
become one
MARGE noun
a spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter
MANGE noun
a persistent and contagious disease of the skin causing inflammation and itching and loss of hair; affects domestic animals (and sometimes people)

Puzzle 2: HAPS to PALE

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps

Show the solution
  2. H becomes P
  3. P becomes L
  4. S becomes E

Words in this ladder

HAPS noun
an accidental happening
PAPS noun
worthless or oversimplified ideas
PALS noun
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
PALE noun
a wooden strip forming part of a fence

Puzzle 3: RUSH to BARBS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  2. R becomes B
  3. H becomes S
  4. S becomes R
  5. U becomes A
  6. add B

Words in this ladder

RUSH noun
the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner
BUSH noun
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
BUSS noun
the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
BURS noun
seed vessel having hooks or prickles
BARS noun
gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights
BARBS noun
an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect

Puzzle 4: BANES to STOCKS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  2. E becomes K
  3. N becomes C
  4. B becomes S
  5. A becomes O
  6. add T

Words in this ladder

BANES noun
something causing misery or death
BANKS noun
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
BACKS noun
the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
SACKS noun
a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases
SOCKS noun
hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot; worn inside the shoe; reaches to between the ankle and the knee
STOCKS noun
a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction

Puzzle 5: CASK to BATTLES

Hard Shortest solution: 7 steps

Show the solution
  2. K becomes E
  3. add T
  4. E becomes S
  5. add E
  6. add L
  7. S becomes T
  8. C becomes B

Words in this ladder

CASK noun
the quantity a cask will hold
CASE noun
an occurrence of something
CASTE noun
social status or position conferred by a system based on class
CASTS noun
the actors in a play
CASTES noun
social status or position conferred by a system based on class
CASTLES noun
a large and stately mansion
CATTLES noun
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age; ; ; - Bible
BATTLES noun
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

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