Word ladder answers for October 12, 2026
The daily ladder for Monday, October 12, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was CAT to COAL, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was GUILD to SWIPE, which needs at least 7.
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: CAT to COAL
Show the solution
- add O
- T becomes L
Words in this ladder
- CAT noun
- feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
- COAT noun
- an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
- COAL noun
- fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
Puzzle 2: CHIMP to TRUMP
Show the solution
- I becomes U
- C becomes T
- H becomes R
Words in this ladder
- CHIMP noun
- intelligent somewhat arboreal ape of equatorial African forests
- CHUMP noun
- a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
- THUMP noun
- a heavy dull sound (as made by impact of heavy objects)
- TRUMP noun
- a playing card in the suit that has been declared trumps
Puzzle 3: ORE to ASPIRE
Show the solution
- add S
- add P
- O becomes I
- add A
Words in this ladder
- ORE noun
- a mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined
- SORE noun
- an open skin infection
- SPORE noun
- a small usually single-celled asexual reproductive body produced by many nonflowering plants and fungi and some bacteria and protozoans and that are capable of developing into a new individual without sexual fusion
- SPIRE noun
- a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top
- ASPIRE verb
- have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
Puzzle 4: NOON to BOAST
Show the solution
- N becomes B
- N becomes T
- add S
- O becomes A
Words in this ladder
- NOON noun
- the middle of the day
- BOON noun
- a desirable state
- BOOT noun
- footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
- BOOST noun
- the act of giving hope or support to someone
- BOAST noun
- speaking of yourself in superlatives
Puzzle 5: GUILD to SWIPE
Show the solution
- D becomes E
- L becomes D
- U becomes L
- G becomes S
- L becomes N
- D becomes P
- N becomes W
Words in this ladder
- GUILD noun
- a formal association of people with similar interests
- GUILE noun
- shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
- GUIDE noun
- someone employed to conduct others
- GLIDE noun
- a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant
- SLIDE noun
- a small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
- SNIDE adjective
- expressive of contempt
- SNIPE noun
- Old or New World straight-billed game bird of the sandpiper family; of marshy areas; similar to the woodcocks
- SWIPE noun
- a sweeping stroke or blow
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