Word ladder answers for August 22, 2026
The daily ladder for Saturday, August 22, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SOT to HART, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was DRY to NAVES, 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: SOT to HART
Show the solution
- S becomes H
- O becomes A
- add R
Words in this ladder
- SOT noun
- a chronic drinker
- HOT adjective
- used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
- HAT noun
- headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
- HART noun
- United States playwright who collaborated with George S. Kaufman (1904-1961)
Puzzle 2: WEB to WELL
Show the solution
- B becomes T
- add L
- T becomes L
Words in this ladder
- WEB noun
- an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving
- WET noun
- wetness caused by water
- WELT noun
- a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions
- WELL noun
- a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine
Puzzle 3: ZETA to PEATS
Show the solution
- Z becomes B
- A becomes S
- B becomes P
- add A
Words in this ladder
- ZETA noun
- the 6th letter of the Greek alphabet
- BETA noun
- the 2nd letter of the Greek alphabet
- BETS noun
- the money risked on a gamble
- PETS noun
- a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
- PEATS noun
- partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried
Puzzle 4: MITTS to DESKS
Show the solution
- T becomes S
- I becomes U
- T becomes K
- M becomes D
- U becomes E
Words in this ladder
- MITTS noun
- the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
- MISTS noun
- a thin fog with condensation near the ground
- MUSTS noun
- a necessary or essential thing
- MUSKS noun
- an odorous glandular secretion from the male musk deer; used as a perfume fixative
- DUSKS noun
- the time of day immediately following sunset
- DESKS noun
- a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
Puzzle 5: DRY to NAVES
Show the solution
- D becomes W
- add A
- Y becomes S
- add E
- R becomes V
- W becomes N
Words in this ladder
- DRY noun
- a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
- WRY adjective
- humorously sarcastic or mocking
- WARY adjective
- marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
- WARS noun
- the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
- WARES noun
- articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: `silverware', `software'
- WAVES noun
- one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
- NAVES noun
- the central area of a church
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