Word Ladder

About Word Ladder

Start at COLT and climb to FAST — but every rung of the ladder has to be a real word, and you may only change one letter at a time. Thirty ladders in rising order, from two-step three-letter climbs up to six-step four-letter ones. Every ladder's shortest route was worked out by the computer before the game shipped, so the 'Best' number is the true minimum: match it and you have found the very best path there is. The first four ladders light up the letters that work, then you're on your own.

How to Play

• Tap the letter box you want to change.
• Pick a new letter — the word it makes must be a real word.
• Keep climbing until you reach the word on the right.
• Undo steps back a rung if you get stuck.

Tips & Tricks

• Look at the target word and ask which letters already match.
• Sometimes you must move away from the target before you can reach it.
• Beating 'Best' is impossible — matching it is the real win.

What Kids Learn

Word Ladder is more than fun — it helps build real skills:

• Spelling patterns and letter substitution
• Vocabulary of short common words
• Planning a route several steps ahead