Word ladder answers for July 16, 2026
The daily ladder for Thursday, July 16, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was MOTES to MUSES, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was BATE to SEAT, 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: MOTES to MUSES
Show the solution
- O becomes U
- T becomes S
Words in this ladder
- MOTES noun
- (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
- MUTES noun
- a deaf person who is unable to speak
- MUSES noun
- in ancient Greek mythology any of 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; protector of an art or science
Puzzle 2: MEET to PENT
Show the solution
- E becomes L
- M becomes P
- L becomes N
Words in this ladder
- MEET noun
- a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
- MELT noun
- the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
- PELT noun
- the dressed hairy coat of a mammal
- PENT verb
- produce a literary work
Puzzle 3: BATE to SEAT
Show the solution
- E becomes S
- A becomes E
- B becomes S
- T becomes A
- S becomes T
Words in this ladder
- BATE verb
- moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
- BATS noun
- nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
- BETS noun
- the money risked on a gamble
- SETS noun
- a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
- SEAS noun
- a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
- SEAT noun
- a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
Puzzle 4: TRUE to STRIDE
Show the solution
- add C
- U becomes I
- C becomes P
- add S
- P becomes D
Words in this ladder
- TRUE noun
- proper alignment; the property possessed by something that is in correct or proper alignment
- TRUCE noun
- a state of peace agreed to between opponents so they can discuss peace terms
- TRICE noun
- a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
- TRIPE noun
- lining of the stomach of a ruminant (especially a bovine) used as food
- STRIPE noun
- an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material
- STRIDE noun
- a step in walking or running
Puzzle 5: DULLS to FILLIES
Show the solution
- D becomes F
- U becomes I
- add E
- add I
Words in this ladder
- DULLS verb
- make dull in appearance
- FULLS noun
- the time when the Moon is fully illuminated
- FILLS noun
- a quantity sufficient to satisfy
- FILLES noun
- a young woman
- FILLIES noun
- a young female horse under the age of four
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