What is the Word Ladder answer for September 23, 2026?

The answer to Word Ladder puzzle #51 is goof -> good -> wood -> word -> work.

Can I still play the Word Ladder puzzle from September 23, 2026?

Yes. Every puzzle stays playable in the archive, so you can open puzzle #51 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.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 · Puzzle #51

Word Ladder hints and answer for September 23, 2026

The hints run vaguest to plainest — take the smallest one that unsticks you. Not played it yet? Start puzzle #51, about 5 minutes.

Play puzzle #51 How Word Ladder works

At a glance

Word Ladder #51 in brief

GOOF to WORK, 3 rungs in between.
3 of the four letters differ between the two ends, and the chain is the shortest one that exists — there is no slack in it, so every rung has to earn its place.

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 — September 23, 2026 Word Groups answer — September 23, 2026 Mini Crossword answer — September 23, 2026 Daily Sudoku answer — September 23, 2026 Nonogram answer — September 23, 2026 Math Guess answer — September 23, 2026 Trivia Five answer — September 23, 2026 Word Search answer — September 23, 2026 Anagram Rush answer — September 23, 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.