Word Ladder: a useful detour can change the wrong letter

Word Ladder is a new TAPA GAME puzzle built around one small change at a time. Choose a listed word that differs from the current word by one letter, then keep moving until you reach the goal. Every choice comes from this game's English word list.

Compare words, then inspect the choices

Count the letters that differ between the current word and the goal. That gives you a starting idea of the distance, but it does not guarantee a direct route. The next word must also be an available word, so the spelling you want may not appear among the choices.

One opening puzzle links LAKE to SAME. The route LAKE, TAKE, TAME, SAME changes exactly one letter at each step. It is a useful example because every move brings a specific position into line with the goal.

A matching letter may need to change

Other boards require a detour. A letter that already matches the goal can still need to move temporarily so that the next legal word becomes available. Treat matching letters as helpful clues, not as pieces that can never change.

The More control shows additional choices when they exist. Check those choices before deciding that you have reached a dead end. The first page does not necessarily contain the route you need.

Take back a word when the route closes

Tap a word or select it with the arrows and Enter. N opens more choices, U returns to the previous word, and Retry starts the current puzzle again. There are twenty levels.

When you undo, compare the alternatives with the word that led nowhere. Look for a route through the available vocabulary rather than trying to force the goal spelling immediately.