Word Labyrinth

Word ladder answers for September 30, 2026

The daily ladder for Wednesday, September 30, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was REEFS to BEEFY, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was GUMS to DONBASS, 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: REEFS to BEEFY

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps · Solved by 10 players · 100% found a shortest path · 2.0 steps on average

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  2. R becomes B
  3. S becomes Y

Words in this ladder

REEFS noun
a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the surface of the water
BEEFS noun
cattle that are reared for their meat
BEEFY adjective
muscular and heavily built

Puzzle 2: CLANS to PRAYS

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

Show the solution
  2. C becomes P
  3. N becomes Y
  4. L becomes R

Words in this ladder

CLANS noun
group of people related by blood or marriage
PLANS noun
a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
PLAYS noun
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
PRAYS verb
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

Puzzle 3: WAGES to SMELLS

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. G becomes L
  3. E becomes L
  4. A becomes E
  5. W becomes S
  6. add M

Words in this ladder

WAGES noun
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing
WALES noun
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; during Roman times the region was known as Cambria
WALLS noun
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
WELLS noun
prolific English writer best known for his science-fiction novels; he also wrote on contemporary social problems and wrote popular accounts of history and science (1866-1946)
SELLS noun
the activity of persuading someone to buy
SMELLS noun
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

Puzzle 4: MOLES to DICER

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps · Solved by 2 players

Show the solution
  2. L becomes V
  3. M becomes D
  4. O becomes I
  5. V becomes C
  6. S becomes R

Words in this ladder

MOLES noun
the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
MOVES noun
the act of deciding to do something
DOVES noun
any of numerous small pigeons
DIVES noun
a cheap disreputable nightclub or dance hall
DICES noun
a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the six faces; used in gambling to generate random numbers
DICER noun
a mechanical device used for dicing food

Puzzle 5: GUMS to DONBASS

Hard Shortest solution: 6 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  2. M becomes N
  3. G becomes D
  4. U becomes O
  5. add A
  6. add B
  7. add S

Words in this ladder

GUMS noun
a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing
GUNS noun
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
DUNS noun
horse of a dull brownish grey color
DONS noun
a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
DONAS noun
a Spanish courtesy title or form of address for a woman
DONBAS noun
an industrial region in the Ukraine
DONBASS noun
an industrial region in the Ukraine

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