Word ladder answers for August 26, 2026

The daily ladder for Wednesday, August 26, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SLIPS to SOAPS, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was AVES to RENT, 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: SLIPS to SOAPS

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps · Solved by 8 players · 100% found a shortest path · 2.0 steps on average

Show the solution
  1. I becomes A
  2. L becomes O

Words in this ladder

SLIPS noun
a socially awkward or tactless act
SLAPS noun
a blow from a flat object (as an open hand)
SOAPS noun
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats

Puzzle 2: MOO to MOLE

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  1. O becomes D
  2. add L
  3. D becomes E

Words in this ladder

MOO noun
the sound made by a cow or bull
MOD noun
a British teenager or young adult in the 1960s; noted for their clothes consciousness and opposition to the rockers
MOLD noun
the distinctive form in which a thing is made
MOLE noun
the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

Puzzle 3: BURGERS to CURVEDS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  1. G becomes N
  2. R becomes D
  3. N becomes L
  4. B becomes C
  5. L becomes V

Words in this ladder

BURGERS noun
United States jurist appointed chief justice of the United States Supreme Court by Richard Nixon (1907-1995)
BURNERS noun
an apparatus for burning fuel (or refuse)
BURNEDS verb
destroy by fire
BURLEDS verb
remove the burls from cloth
CURLEDS verb
form a curl, curve, or kink
CURVEDS verb
turn sharply; change direction abruptly

Puzzle 4: RYES to LILTS

Medium Shortest solution: 4 steps

Show the solution
  1. R becomes L
  2. Y becomes I
  3. E becomes T
  4. add L

Words in this ladder

RYES noun
the seed of the cereal grass
LYES noun
a strong solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide
LIES noun
a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
LITS noun
the humanistic study of a body of literature
LILTS noun
a jaunty rhythm in music

Puzzle 5: AVES to RENT

Hard Shortest solution: 7 steps

Show the solution
  1. A becomes E
  2. V becomes Y
  3. E becomes B
  4. Y becomes E
  5. S becomes T
  6. E becomes N
  7. B becomes R

Words in this ladder

AVES noun
(ornithology) the class of birds
EVES noun
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
EYES noun
opinion or judgment
BYES noun
you advance to the next round in a tournament without playing an opponent
BEES noun
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
BEET noun
biennial Eurasian plant usually having a swollen edible root; widely cultivated as a food crop
BENT noun
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
RENT noun
a payment or series of payments made by the lessee to an owner for use of some property, facility, equipment, or service

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