What is the Word Ladder answer for August 4, 2026?

The answer to Word Ladder puzzle #1 is zeal -> veal -> veil -> vein -> vain -> lain.

Can I still play the Word Ladder puzzle from August 4, 2026?

Yes. Every puzzle stays playable in the archive, so you can open puzzle #1 and solve it yourself at any time.

What counts as a legal step?

Changing exactly one letter, in place, to make another real four-letter word. You cannot add or remove letters, and you cannot rearrange them — CARD to CRAB is two changes, and CARD to CARDS is not a step at all.

Is there only one correct ladder?

No. Several different ladders of the same length often exist, and the board accepts any of them as long as each step is legal and you use the stated number of rungs. The answer page shows one canonical solution; a different route of the same length is just as correct.

Which words does the game accept?

Any word on the full legal four-letter list, which is considerably larger than the everyday vocabulary. The published solution is deliberately restricted to common words, so the intended ladder never depends on knowing something obscure — but you are free to route through one if you spot it.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 · Puzzle #1

Word Ladder hints and answer for August 4, 2026

Stuck on the August 4, 2026 Word Ladder? The hints below get more specific as you go, so you can take the smallest nudge that gets you moving instead of spoiling the whole thing. The full answer is at the bottom, hidden until you ask for it.

If you have not tried it yet, play Word Ladder #1 first — it takes about 5 minutes.

Play puzzle #1 How Word Ladder works

Step by step

Word Ladder hints

Each hint reveals a little more than the last. Open only as many as you need.

Hint 1
Hint 2
Hint 3
Hint 4 — the big one

Spoiler

Word Ladder answer

Last chance to go back and try a hint instead.

Full solution

The other nine answers

Word Guess answer — August 4, 2026 Word Groups answer — August 4, 2026 Mini Crossword answer — August 4, 2026 Daily Sudoku answer — August 4, 2026 Nonogram answer — August 4, 2026 Math Guess answer — August 4, 2026 Trivia Five answer — August 4, 2026 Word Search answer — August 4, 2026 Anagram Rush answer — August 4, 2026

Play something else

Word GuessSix tries, five letters, one new word every day.Word GroupsSixteen words. Four hidden connections. One grid.Mini CrosswordTen clues, a 5x5 grid, and about five minutes.Word SearchTen themed words hidden in a 12x12 grid. Some of them backwards.