Word ladder answers for June 16, 2026
The daily ladder for Tuesday, June 16, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was TOT to TUG, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was OWN to SCARP, which needs at least 6.
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: TOT to TUG
Show the solution
- O becomes U
- T becomes G
Words in this ladder
- TOT noun
- a small amount (especially of a drink)
- TUT verb
- utter `tsk,' `tut,' or `tut-tut,' as in disapproval
- TUG noun
- a sudden abrupt pull
Puzzle 2: JELL to WILY
Show the solution
- J becomes W
- E becomes I
- L becomes Y
Words in this ladder
- JELL verb
- become gelatinous
- WELL noun
- a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine
- WILL noun
- the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention; - George Meredith
- WILY adjective
- marked by skill in deception
Puzzle 3: CAFES to BATHS
Show the solution
- F becomes R
- C becomes B
- R becomes T
- E becomes H
Words in this ladder
- CAFES noun
- a small restaurant where drinks and snacks are sold
- CARES noun
- the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
- BARES verb
- lay bare
- BATES verb
- moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
- BATHS noun
- a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
Puzzle 4: MAKER to PLATES
Show the solution
- R becomes S
- M becomes L
- K becomes T
- add P
Words in this ladder
- MAKER noun
- a person who makes things
- MAKES noun
- a recognizable kind
- LAKES noun
- a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
- LATES noun
- a genus of large percoid fishes of fresh and brackish water
- PLATES noun
- (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
Puzzle 5: OWN to SCARP
Show the solution
- N becomes E
- O becomes A
- W becomes R
- add C
- add S
- E becomes P
Words in this ladder
- OWN verb
- have ownership or possession of
- OWE verb
- be obliged to pay or repay
- AWE noun
- an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
- ARE noun
- a unit of surface area equal to 100 square meters
- CARE noun
- the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
- SCARE noun
- sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events
- SCARP noun
- a long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion
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