Word Ladder Solver
Turn one word into another by changing a single letter at a time. Breadth-first search finds the shortest ladder, every equally short alternative, and the step-by-step reveal.
Active list: the built-in 4-letter list (1401 words).
Custom word list
Paste your own words — separated by newlines, commas or spaces — and they replace the built-in list. Words that do not match the selected length are filtered out. Words must be lowercase A–Z (capital letters are lowered automatically).
About this tool
The solver builds wildcard buckets (w_rd → cord, card, ward, word) and runs a level-synchronous breadth-first search. Because it records every predecessor on a shortest path rather than just the first one it meets, the list of equally short ladders is complete, not an artefact of search order.
The built-in lists hold 1416 common 4-letter words and 1935 common 5-letter words; links only ever connect words of the same length. Enumeration of alternative ladders is capped at 50 paths to keep the tab responsive, and the whole search runs in your browser — no word ever leaves the page.
- 100% free — no account needed
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing is uploaded
Frequently asked questions
Is Word Ladder Solver really free?
Yes. Word Ladder Solver is completely free on PureBrowser — every feature, with no account, no trial, and no credit card.
Does Word Ladder Solver upload my data?
No. Word Ladder Solver runs entirely inside your browser, so anything you type, paste, or open stays on your own device.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
Neither. There is no account and nothing to download — open the page and Word Ladder Solver is ready to use on desktop or mobile.
Does Word Ladder Solver work offline?
Once the page has loaded, yes. All of the processing happens locally in your browser, so it keeps working without a connection.
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