Word ladder answers for September 21, 2026
The daily ladder for Monday, September 21, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was SIN to SAX, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was SMITE to SEGALS, 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: PALE to DAMS
Show the solution
- P becomes D
- L becomes M
- E becomes S
Words in this ladder
- PALE noun
- a wooden strip forming part of a fence
- DALE noun
- an open river valley (in a hilly area)
- DAME noun
- informal terms for a (young) woman
- DAMS noun
- a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
Puzzle 2: SIN to SAX
Show the solution
- N becomes X
- I becomes A
Words in this ladder
- SIN noun
- estrangement from god
- SIX noun
- the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
- SAX noun
- a Belgian maker of musical instruments who invented the saxophone (1814-1894)
Puzzle 3: MATER to SALVERS
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- R becomes S
- T becomes L
- M becomes S
- add V
- add R
Words in this ladder
- MATER noun
- an informal use of the Latin word for mother; sometimes used by British schoolboys or used facetiously
- MATES noun
- a pair of people who live together
- MALES noun
- an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes (ova)
- SALES noun
- income (at invoice values) received for goods and services over some given period of time
- SALVES noun
- semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
- SALVERS noun
- a tray (or large plate) for serving food or drinks; usually made of silver
Puzzle 4: PLAYS to ELUTE
Show the solution
- Y becomes T
- S becomes E
- P becomes E
- A becomes U
Words in this ladder
- PLAYS noun
- a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
- PLATS noun
- a map showing planned or actual features of an area (streets and building lots etc.)
- PLATE noun
- (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
- ELATE verb
- fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
- ELUTE verb
- wash out with a solvent, as in chromatography
Puzzle 5: SMITE to SEGALS
Show the solution
- M becomes P
- E becomes S
- I becomes A
- P becomes E
- T becomes L
- add G
Words in this ladder
- SMITE verb
- inflict a heavy blow on, with the hand, a tool, or a weapon
- SPITE noun
- feeling a need to see others suffer
- SPITS noun
- a narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea
- SPATS noun
- a quarrel about petty points
- SEATS noun
- an area that includes places where several people can sit
- SEALS noun
- fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters
- SEGALS noun
- United States sculptor (born in 1924)
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