Word ladder answers for May 22, 2026
The daily ladder for Friday, May 22, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was MARK to STARE, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was BOS to BLOCKED, 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: MARK to STARE
Show the solution
- K becomes E
- M becomes T
- add S
Words in this ladder
- MARK noun
- a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
- MARE noun
- female equine animal
- TARE noun
- an adjustment made for the weight of the packaging in order to determine the net weight of the goods
- STARE noun
- a fixed look with eyes open wide
Puzzle 2: SINS to PIERS
Show the solution
- S becomes P
- N becomes E
- add R
Words in this ladder
- SINS noun
- estrangement from god
- PINS noun
- a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment
- PIES noun
- dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top
- PIERS noun
- a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
Puzzle 3: DENS to MOOTS
Show the solution
- E becomes O
- N becomes T
- D becomes M
- add O
Words in this ladder
- DENS noun
- the habitation of wild animals
- DONS noun
- a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
- DOTS noun
- a very small circular shape
- MOTS noun
- a clever remark
- MOOTS noun
- a hypothetical case that law students argue as an exercise
Puzzle 4: GONG to RUNNY
Show the solution
- G becomes B
- G becomes Y
- add N
- O becomes U
- B becomes R
Words in this ladder
- GONG noun
- a percussion instrument consisting of a metal plate that is struck with a softheaded drumstick
- BONG noun
- a dull resonant sound as of a bell
- BONY adjective
- very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
- BONNY adjective
- very pleasing to the eye
- BUNNY noun
- a young waitress in a nightclub whose costume includes the tail and ears of a rabbit
- RUNNY adjective
- characteristic of a fluid; capable of flowing and easily changing shape
Puzzle 5: BOS to BLOCKED
Show the solution
- add O
- add K
- B becomes L
- O becomes C
- add E
- S becomes D
- add B
Words in this ladder
- BOS noun
- wild and domestic cattle; in some classifications placed in the subfamily Bovinae or tribe Bovini
- BOOS noun
- a cry or noise made to express displeasure or contempt
- BOOKS noun
- a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
- LOOKS noun
- the feelings expressed on a person's face
- LOCKS noun
- a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed
- LOCKES noun
- English empiricist philosopher who believed that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience (1632-1704)
- LOCKED verb
- fasten with a lock
- BLOCKED verb
- render unsuitable for passage
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