WordSteps
Rate itTurn the day's start word into the target, one letter at a time.
on wordsteps.me
WordSteps is a daily word ladder game. You start from one word and reach a target word by changing exactly one letter at a time, each step a valid English word, within a set number of attempts. There are three ladders a day, with three, four and five letters, plus hints, an archive and random puzzles.
About WordSteps
WordSteps is a browser version of the word ladder puzzle that Lewis Carroll called Doublets in 1877. The start word sits at the top of the board and the target word at the bottom. You tap the letter you want to change, type the new one and press Enter; if the result is a valid English word it is added as the next rung. The game's own example runs COLD, CORD, CARD, WARD, WARM.
Each challenge allows a set number of attempts, shown in a counter above the board. The site says the count is worked out from the shortest path plus some spare moves, with more spare moves on Easy than on Hard, and that every puzzle has at least one solution. On the day we played, Classic went from HOME to JUST with 10 attempts.
Letters are coloured as you go: green for a letter already in the right place for the target, yellow for one that is in the target elsewhere, grey for one that is not in it. A Hints panel lists words you can reach from your last rung, with dots for how many letters match the target, and an Undo button takes back a move.
Every day brings three challenges: Easy with 3-letter words, Classic with 4 and Hard with 5. The daily page shows what share of players solved each one so far. Past days are in an archive behind the calendar icon, a dice icon serves random puzzles, and statistics track your wins, streak and moves. It plays without an account; registering saves your progress. The game is free and carries ads on its pages.
How to play WordSteps
- Open the daily page and pick Easy, Classic or Hard.
- Look at the start word at the top and the target word at the bottom.
- Tap the letter you want to change and type a new one, then press Enter; the new word must be a valid English word.
- Use the green, yellow and grey colours to see which letters already fit the target.
- Keep changing one letter at a time until you reach the target within the allowed attempts; open Hints or press Undo if you get stuck.
Screenshots
Tips
- Fix letters that already match the target and change the others.
- Sometimes you must move away from the target to get around a dead end.
- Vowel changes often open up more words than consonant changes.
- Check yesterday's solutions to learn common routes.
Questions
How many WordSteps puzzles are there each day?
Three: Easy with 3-letter words, Classic with 4 and Hard with 5.
When does WordSteps reset?
The site says new puzzles come out every day at midnight. It does not name a time zone.
What counts as a valid step?
Changing exactly one letter of the last word to make a valid English word.
Are there hints?
Yes. The Hints panel lists words you can play next, with dots for how many letters match the target, and Undo takes back a move.
Can I play earlier days?
Yes. The calendar icon opens past daily puzzles, and the dice icon serves random ones.
Does WordSteps have ads?
Yes. Its pages carry Google ads around the game. No account is needed to play.
Ratings and reviews
Games like WordSteps
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Word Ladder Daily
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Chainle
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