Word Labyrinth

Word ladder answers for July 30, 2026

The daily ladder for Thursday, July 30, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was WELL to TEAS, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was TIKES to MANGLES, 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: WELL to TEAS

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 4 players · 100% found a shortest path · 3.0 steps on average

Show the solution
  2. W becomes T
  3. L becomes A
  4. L becomes S

Words in this ladder

WELL noun
a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine
TELL noun
a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an Austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
TEAL noun
a blue-green color or pigment
TEAS noun
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

Puzzle 2: RACK to AMUCK

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. A becomes U
  3. R becomes M
  4. add A

Words in this ladder

RACK noun
framework for holding objects
RUCK noun
a crowd especially of ordinary or undistinguished persons or things
MUCK noun
any thick, viscous matter
AMUCK adjective
frenzied as if possessed by a demon

Puzzle 3: TIKES to MANGLES

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. I becomes A
  3. T becomes M
  4. K becomes N
  5. add G
  6. add L

Words in this ladder

TIKES noun
a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement
TAKES noun
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
MAKES noun
a recognizable kind
MANES noun
a Persian prophet who founded Manichaeism (216-276)
MANGES noun
a persistent and contagious disease of the skin causing inflammation and itching and loss of hair; affects domestic animals (and sometimes people)
MANGLES noun
clothes dryer for drying and ironing laundry by passing it between two heavy heated rollers

Puzzle 4: DAG to SOTS

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. A becomes O
  3. G becomes S
  4. add T
  5. D becomes S

Words in this ladder

DAG noun
10 grams
DOG noun
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
DOS noun
the federal department in the United States that sets and maintains foreign policies
DOTS noun
a very small circular shape
SOTS noun
a chronic drinker

Puzzle 5: VIBES to ERNES

Hard Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  2. B becomes S
  3. I becomes A
  4. V becomes E
  5. A becomes R
  6. S becomes N

Words in this ladder

VIBES noun
a percussion instrument similar to a xylophone but having metal bars and rotating disks in the resonators that produce a vibrato sound
VISES noun
a holding device attached to a workbench; has two jaws to hold workpiece firmly in place
VASES noun
an open jar of glass or porcelain used as an ornament or to hold flowers
EASES noun
freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort
ERSES noun
any of several related languages of the Celts in Ireland and Scotland
ERNES noun
bulky greyish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail; of Europe and Greenland

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