PoopleLadder

Word Ladder Game

This free word ladder game gives you a start word and an end word with three, four or five letters. Change one letter at a time, keep every step a real word, and reach the end word in as few steps as you can. Press New ladder for another puzzle whenever you like.

How to Play the Word Ladder Game

  1. Pick three, four or five letters.
  2. Read the start word and the end word above the board.
  3. Change exactly one letter to make a new real word. The other letters stay where they are.
  4. Keep going until you reach the end word.
  5. Match par, the shortest possible ladder, for a Perfect rating.

Three, Four or Five Letters

  • 3 letters: 572 words. Short words have many neighbors, so these ladders are quick and good for warming up.
  • 4 letters: 2,059 words, the same list as the daily Poople game.
  • 5 letters: 4,530 words. Longer words have fewer neighbors, so you need to plan ahead.

Start and end words come from the most common words of each length (453, 1,359 and 1,687 of them), and every pair is checked to have a ladder.

Kids Mode and Step-by-Step Help

Turn on Kids mode for three- and four-letter ladders of two to four steps, using a word list with grown-up topics taken out. Explain each step shows which letter changed and what each new word means, with a Say it button that reads the word aloud in your browser. Kids mode switches the explanations on automatically, which makes the game a gentle spelling and vocabulary practice.

Word Ladder Tips

  • Look at the end word first and note which letters already match.
  • Change vowels early: swapping A, E, I, O or U opens more doors than swapping consonants.
  • Work backward. Find a word one step from the end and aim for it.

Prefer the classic? The daily Poople game turns one word into POOP each day, and Poople Unlimited deals POOP ladders by difficulty.

Word Ladder Game FAQ

Is it free to play?

Yes. Play as many ladders as you like with no sign-up, download or daily limit. Nothing is saved, so every ladder is a fresh start.

How is par worked out?

Par is the fewest steps from the start word to the end word, found with a breadth-first search over the word list. Every puzzle has a par between 3 and 6.

Which words count?

Common American English words of the chosen length, built from the SCOWL word lists. Names, abbreviations, very rare words and rude words are left out, so the game tells you when a word is not in the list.

Is there a version for kids?

Yes. Kids mode keeps to three- and four-letter words, short ladders of two to four steps, and a word list without grown-up topics. It also explains every step and can read words aloud.

Where do the word meanings come from?

From Princeton WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary database, shortened to one line. Senses about adult topics are skipped, and a few words have hand-written meanings.

Can I see the answer?

When you finish above par, the game shows one shortest ladder. To check any pair of words before you play, use the word ladder solver.

How is this different from the daily Poople game?

The daily game gives everyone one four-letter word a day and always ends at POOP. Here the end word changes every time, you can pick three, four or five letters, and there is no limit.