Word ladder answers for May 23, 2026
The daily ladder for Saturday, May 23, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was CAR to FLY, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was FULL to BOARDED, 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: CAR to FLY
Show the solution
- C becomes F
- R becomes Y
- A becomes L
Words in this ladder
- CAR noun
- a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
- FAR noun
- a terrorist organization that seeks to overthrow the government dominated by Tutsi and to institute Hutu control again
- FAY noun
- a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
- FLY noun
- two-winged insects characterized by active flight
Puzzle 2: FEND to KEYS
Show the solution
- D becomes S
- F becomes K
- N becomes Y
Words in this ladder
- FEND verb
- try to manage without help
- FENS noun
- 100 fen equal 1 yuan in China
- KENS noun
- range of what one can know or understand
- KEYS noun
- metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
Puzzle 3: LENDER to PLUNDER
Show the solution
- add B
- E becomes U
- B becomes P
Words in this ladder
- LENDER noun
- someone who lends money or gives credit in business matters
- BLENDER noun
- an electrically powered mixer with whirling blades that mix or chop or liquefy foods
- BLUNDER noun
- an embarrassing mistake
- PLUNDER noun
- goods or money obtained illegally
Puzzle 4: SNUGS to SHALE
Show the solution
- U becomes A
- N becomes T
- S becomes E
- G becomes L
- T becomes H
Words in this ladder
- SNUGS noun
- a small secluded room
- SNAGS noun
- a sharp protuberance
- STAGS noun
- a male deer, especially an adult male red deer
- STAGE noun
- any distinct time period in a sequence of events
- STALE verb
- urinate, of cattle and horses
- SHALE noun
- a sedimentary rock formed by the deposition of successive layers of clay
Puzzle 5: FULL to BOARDED
Show the solution
- F becomes B
- U becomes A
- L becomes D
- L becomes R
- add E
- add D
- add O
Words in this ladder
- FULL noun
- the time when the Moon is fully illuminated
- BULL noun
- uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
- BALL noun
- round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
- BALD verb
- grow bald; lose hair on one's head
- BARD noun
- a lyric poet
- BARED verb
- lay bare
- BARDED verb
- put a caparison on
- BOARDED verb
- get on board of (trains, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
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