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TOWER, the daily word ladder game
TOWER is a word ladder game. You get a start word and a top word. Change one letter at a time, and every step must be a real word. Each step is one floor of the tower.
Everyone gets the same puzzle each day. The shortest route is called par. Finish at par without hints for three stars. Monday is the easiest and Sunday is the hardest. It takes about two minutes, it has no timer, and it is free with no signup.
How to play
- Tap a letter on the keyboard. It drops into the square where it makes a real word. If it could fit two squares, tap a square first to choose it. On a computer you can type.
- The new word must be a real English word and must change exactly one letter.
- A message tells you when a step takes you closer to the top word or sideways.
- Stuck? A hint shows the next word and costs one star. You can undo a floor at any time.
- Reach the top word to light up the tower. Share your result as a picture of your tower. It does not show the words.
Tips
- Work from both ends. Think of words that are one letter from the top word, then aim at those.
- Change vowels to reach new families of words, for example cold to cord to card.
- Each puzzle pairs two words that go together, like opposites, so the top word is a hint about the route.
- Common letters like S, T and R open up the most moves.
- A step sideways is fine. Sometimes you need one to get around a dead end.
Questions
What is a word ladder?
A word ladder is a puzzle where you change one letter at a time to turn one word into another. Every step has to be a valid word. Lewis Carroll invented it in 1877 and called it Doublets.
What is par in TOWER?
Par is the fewest steps possible. We calculate it with a solver for every puzzle, so there is always a route and par is always correct.
How do streaks work?
Finish the daily puzzle to add a day to your streak. You get one free freeze each week, so one missed day will not break it.
Can I play old puzzles?
Yes. The archive has every past daily puzzle. Archive puzzles do not count toward your streak.
Which dictionary do you use?
Moves are checked against the ENABLE word list, which is public domain. Start and top words come from a list of common words, so puzzles stay fair.