Word ladder answers for October 21, 2026
The daily ladder for Wednesday, October 21, 2026 had 5 puzzles. The quickest was FRY to FORAY, solvable in 2 steps, and the longest was ACES to BOMBS, which needs at least 6.
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: FRY to FORAY
Show the solution
- add A
- add O
Words in this ladder
- FRY noun
- English painter and art critic (1866-1934)
- FRAY noun
- a noisy fight
- FORAY noun
- a sudden short attack
Puzzle 2: HEARS to ROARS
Show the solution
- H becomes R
- E becomes O
Words in this ladder
- HEARS verb
- perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
- REARS noun
- the back of a military formation or procession
- ROARS noun
- a deep prolonged loud noise
Puzzle 3: RIPE to LOOT
Show the solution
- P becomes S
- I becomes O
- R becomes L
- E becomes T
- S becomes O
Words in this ladder
- RIPE adjective
- fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used
- RISE noun
- a growth in strength or number or importance
- ROSE noun
- any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
- LOSE verb
- fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
- LOST noun
- people who are destined to die soon
- LOOT noun
- goods or money obtained illegally
Puzzle 4: STEEL to BLEED
Show the solution
- L becomes P
- T becomes L
- S becomes B
- P becomes D
Words in this ladder
- STEEL noun
- an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
- STEEP noun
- a steep place (as on a hill)
- SLEEP noun
- a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
- BLEEP noun
- a short high tone produced as a signal or warning
- BLEED verb
- lose blood from one's body
Puzzle 5: ACES to BOMBS
Show the solution
- C becomes R
- add C
- A becomes O
- R becomes M
- E becomes B
- C becomes B
Words in this ladder
- ACES noun
- the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
- ARES noun
- (Greek mythology) Greek god of war; son of Zeus and Hera; identified with Roman Mars
- CARES noun
- the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
- CORES noun
- a small group of indispensable persons or things
- COMES noun
- the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
- COMBS noun
- a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair
- BOMBS noun
- an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions
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