Change · climb · solve
Daily Word Ladder
Turn one four-letter word into another by changing exactly one letter per move. Every accepted step must be in CardYard's reviewed word list.
A free Word Ladder game with a new daily puzzle
Solve today's ladder, compare your route with the shortest-path par, and return after the 00:00 UTC reset to protect your streak. Practice and the puzzle archive stay free.
CardYard calculates par with a deterministic breadth-first search over the released dictionary. Hints add one valid shortest-path step from your current word; they never invent an answer.
How to play Word Ladder
- Start with the word shown at the top.
- Change exactly one letter to make another approved four-letter word.
- Keep changing one letter until you reach the target.
- Use Undo if a branch is unhelpful, or up to two hints.
- Finish the current Daily before 00:00 UTC to advance your streak.
Daily, Practice, and Archive
All three modes use the same one-letter rules.
- Daily: One shared numbered puzzle each UTC day with streak tracking.
- Practice: Unlimited reviewed ladders across easy, medium, and hard paths.
- Archive: Replay earlier Daily puzzles without backfilling a missed streak.
Valid and invalid moves
COLD → CORD is valid because only the third letter changes and both are approved words.
COLD → CARD is invalid in one move because two letters change.
Word Ladder strategy
Work from both ends
Imagine words near the target and look for a bridge from your current path.
Change vowels early
A useful vowel swap can open several new consonant choices.
Undo dead ends
A valid word can still lead to a longer branch. Undo is part of solving.
Word Ladder FAQ
What words are valid?
V1 accepts reviewed four-letter lowercase English words in CardYard's released dictionary.
Can I change more than one letter?
No. Every move must change exactly one letter while keeping the other three positions unchanged.
How do hints work?
A hint inserts one next word on a shortest available path from your current word. Each puzzle allows two hints.
When does the Daily reset?
The Daily Word Ladder resets at 00:00 UTC.
Is Word Ladder the same as Word Chain?
No. Word Ladder changes one letter at a time; CardYard Word Chain connects compound phrases such as water bottle and bottle cap.
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