Word Labyrinth

Word ladder answers for October 5, 2026

The daily ladder for Monday, October 5, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was POUT to ABOUT, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was COOKER to FLIPPER, which needs at least 6. On PACT to LIST, players averaged 4.7 steps against a shortest path of 3.

Solutions are folded away until you open them, so you can have a go first. We show one shortest path per puzzle. Plenty of ladders have two or three paths of the same length, so if yours doesn't match and has the same step count, it's just as good.

Puzzle 1: PACT to LIST

Easy Shortest solution: 3 steps · Solved by 3 players · 67% found a shortest path · 4.7 steps on average

Show the solution
  2. C becomes S
  3. P becomes L
  4. A becomes I

Words in this ladder

PACT noun
a written agreement between two states or sovereigns
PAST noun
the time that has elapsed
LAST noun
the temporal end; the concluding time
LIST noun
a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics)

Puzzle 2: POUT to ABOUT

Easy Shortest solution: 2 steps · Solved by 1 player

Show the solution
  2. P becomes B
  3. add A

Words in this ladder

POUT noun
a disdainful grimace
BOUT noun
(sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
ABOUT adjective
on the move

Puzzle 3: LATHE to BORES

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  2. L becomes B
  3. E becomes S
  4. H becomes E
  5. T becomes R
  6. A becomes O

Words in this ladder

LATHE noun
machine tool for shaping metal or wood; the workpiece turns about a horizontal axis against a fixed tool
BATHE noun
the act of swimming
BATHS noun
a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
BATES verb
moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
BARES verb
lay bare
BORES noun
a person who evokes boredom

Puzzle 4: LACK to SOLAR

Medium Shortest solution: 5 steps

Show the solution
  2. L becomes S
  3. A becomes O
  4. C becomes A
  5. K becomes R
  6. add L

Words in this ladder

LACK noun
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
SACK noun
a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases
SOCK noun
hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot; worn inside the shoe; reaches to between the ankle and the knee
SOAK noun
the process of becoming softened and saturated as a consequence of being immersed in water (or other liquid)
SOAR noun
the act of rising upward into the air
SOLAR adjective
relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun

Puzzle 5: COOKER to FLIPPER

Hard Shortest solution: 6 steps

Show the solution
  2. K becomes P
  3. O becomes P
  4. add H
  5. O becomes I
  6. H becomes L
  7. C becomes F

Words in this ladder

COOKER noun
a utensil for cooking
COOPER noun
United States industrialist who built the first American locomotive; founded Cooper Union in New York City to offer free courses in the arts and sciences (1791-1883)
COPPER noun
a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
CHOPPER noun
a grounder that bounces high in the air
CHIPPER adjective
having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air; - Frances G. Patton; - H.M.Reynolds
CLIPPER noun
(electronics) a nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform)
FLIPPER noun
a shoe for swimming; the paddle-like front is an aid in swimming (especially underwater)

Today's puzzles are up

5 new word ladders every day, free. They land here once the day is over.

Play today's ladder