Word ladder answers for September 9, 2026
The daily ladder for Wednesday, September 9, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was TIMES to LAMAS, solvable in 3 steps, and the longest was FULL to BOARDED, 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: TIMES to LAMAS
Show the solution
- I becomes A
- T becomes L
- E becomes A
Words in this ladder
- TIMES noun
- a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
- TAMES verb
- correct by punishment or discipline
- LAMES noun
- someone who doesn't understand what is going on
- LAMAS noun
- a Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism
Puzzle 2: PUTT to SHUNT
Show the solution
- T becomes N
- P becomes H
- add S
Words in this ladder
- PUTT noun
- hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
- PUNT noun
- formerly the basic unit of money in Ireland; equal to 100 pence
- HUNT noun
- Englishman and Pre-Raphaelite painter (1827-1910)
- SHUNT noun
- a passage by which a bodily fluid (especially blood) is diverted from one channel to another
Puzzle 3: BROW to BETS
Show the solution
- O becomes A
- W becomes S
- R becomes O
- A becomes T
- O becomes E
Words in this ladder
- BROW noun
- the part of the face above the eyes
- BRAW adjective
- brightly colored and showy
- BRAS noun
- an undergarment worn by women to support their breasts
- BOAS noun
- a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
- BOTS noun
- botfly larva; typically develops inside the body of a horse or sheep or human
- BETS noun
- the money risked on a gamble
Puzzle 4: TYKES to BUSIES
Show the solution
- Y becomes A
- T becomes B
- K becomes S
- A becomes U
- add I
Words in this ladder
- TYKES noun
- a native of Yorkshire
- TAKES noun
- the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
- BAKES verb
- cook and make edible by putting in a hot oven
- BASES noun
- installation from which a military force initiates operations
- BUSES noun
- a vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport
- BUSIES verb
- keep busy with
Puzzle 5: FULL to BOARDED
Show the solution
- F becomes B
- U becomes A
- L becomes D
- L becomes R
- add E
- add D
- add O
Words in this ladder
- FULL noun
- the time when the Moon is fully illuminated
- BULL noun
- uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
- BALL noun
- round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
- BALD verb
- grow bald; lose hair on one's head
- BARD noun
- a lyric poet
- BARED verb
- lay bare
- BARDED verb
- put a caparison on
- BOARDED verb
- get on board of (trains, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
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