Back to the arcade
60-second rounds · 3 min read
Play Letter LadderWhat is Letter Ladder?
Travel between words by changing one letter at a time. The current word and the final destination frame a short ladder, while a definition identifies the next word you need. This combines vocabulary with attention to spelling: a word that fits the clue must also occupy the correct next step in the ladder.
Rules and controls
- Read the next clue and choose its answer from the displayed words. Correct answers change one letter of the current word, advance the ladder, and earn one objective per step. Wrong answers record mistakes but leave the same clue and current word in place. Reaching the destination replaces the completed ladder after a short transition. Answer buttons and numbered keyboard shortcuts perform the same action.
- Controls respond only during active play. The countdown and the brief change between boards are pauses, not opportunities to submit the next answer early. Touch controls and native Tab/Enter button activation follow the same replay rules.
Use the controls displayed above the playfield. Touch buttons and keyboard shortcuts are shown before the round begins.
Scoring and rewards
The game scoreboard gives 100 for each correct word ladder steps objective and subtracts 25 for a recorded mistake, with a minimum displayed score of zero. Only new, accepted objectives count; waiting or repeating completed work does not create achievements.
Reward points use verified performance against this game’s reference pace rather than its raw scoreboard. The reference is: Read each clue and compare one-letter changes at a two-second reference pace. Full reference performance corresponds to 40 base reward points and 60 XP per minute; the account’s level bonus is applied separately.
Points and XP scale with objective performance, precision, and round length. At full reward performance, a 60-second round earns up to 40 base points and 60 XP. Each level gained adds a 0.1% point bonus. Guest practice has no reward balance.
For eligible rewarded rounds, points remain pending until the sponsored claim’s 12 seconds of focused time and fresh hCaptcha are complete. No ad click or purchase is required.
How difficulty changes
Earlier play uses short three-letter ladders or a four-letter route. Later difficulty introduces longer chains of four-letter words, giving you more intermediate transformations to follow. The destination remains visible throughout. Correct steps are rewarded once, so revisiting the same state through incorrect guesses cannot multiply a completed step.
Difficulty increases after every three starts of this game during a UTC day, up to level 10, and resets at 00:00 UTC. Your player level and its point bonus are separate from the game’s daily difficulty.
Strategy
Plan the next move
Use both constraints together. First solve the definition approximately, then compare its spelling with the current word. If a candidate changes several letters, it does not belong at that particular step.
Check before committing
Do not jump directly to the final word merely because it is shown on screen. The clue describes the immediate next step; the goal is reached through all of the required intermediate words.
A worked example
- A ladder starts at CAT and ultimately leads to DOG. The first clue is “A small bed.”
- Choose COT, changing A to O. A later clue leads from COT to DOT by changing C to D.
- The final step changes DOT to DOG, completing the ladder through three separately validated changes.
Common mistakes
- A word can resemble the destination while failing the current clue.
- Check the full spelling before pressing a key; similarly shaped answer tiles are deliberately easy to confuse when rushing.
Questions
Can I invent a different route?
This game follows its displayed clue sequence. Choose the word answering the current clue rather than submitting an alternative ladder.
Do I lose earlier correct steps after a mistake?
No. The current ladder position stays in place, and correctly completed steps remain in your result.
