word-ladder

Article

Brain Game: Ptomaine

We hope the new word ladder puzzle for today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge won't upset your stomach: By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert FOOD into SICK in the fewest possible steps. F O O D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S I C K Here is a 5-step SOLUTION. A 5-STEP SOLUTION: F O O D H O O D H O O K H O C K H I C K S I C K Did you come up with a different sequence of... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Off the Deck

Enjoy a new word ladder puzzle as today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge: By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert DEAL into CARD in the fewest possible steps. D E A L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C A R D Here is a 5-step SOLUTION. A 5-STEP SOLUTION: D E A L D E A D H E A D H E R D H A R D C A R D Did you come up with a different sequence of words? Feel free to share... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Learning to Drive

Today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge is perhaps the longest Word Ladder puzzle we've ever published... but maybe you can solve it in fewer steps. Let's find out: By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert STEER into BRAKE in the fewest possible steps. S T E E R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ B R A K E Here... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Solitaire

In today's world, more people probably play solitaire by clicking a mouse than by flipping cards, but today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge is old-school. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert CARD into FLIP in the fewest possible steps. C A R D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F L I P Here is one 6-step SOLUTION. A 6-STEP SOLUTION: C A R D L A R D L A... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: From a Jack to a King

Today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge is a Word Ladder puzzle named after an old Ned Miller song. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert JACK into KING in the fewest possible steps. J A C K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ K I N G Here is one 5-step SOLUTION. A 5-STEP SOLUTION: J A C K T A C K T I C K K I C K K I N K K I N G Did you come up with a different... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Mind the Gap

Today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge is a new Word Ladder puzzle. Enjoy! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert SPARK into PLUGS in the fewest possible steps. S P A R K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ P L U G S Here is one 5-step SOLUTION. A 5-STEP SOLUTION: S P A R K S P A R S S P U R S S L U R S S L U G S P L U G S Did you come up with a different sequence... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: On the Wall

Here's a new word ladder for today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert HANG into NAIL in the fewest possible steps. H A N G _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N A I L Here is one 5-step SOLUTION. A 5-STEP SOLUTION: H A N G S A N G S A N D S A I D S A I L N A I L Did you come up with a different sequence of words? Feel free to... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Seems Like July

It's the middle of March, but you couldn't tell it by the temperature here in Michigan. (Yesterday's high was 40 degrees warmer than on the same date last year.) While we try to stay cool, enjoy a new word ladder for today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert MONTH into MARCH in the fewest possible steps. M O N T H _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Cover Those Feet!

Here's a new word ladder for today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert SOCK into SHOE in the fewest possible steps. S O C K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S H O E Here is one 6-step SOLUTION. A 6-STEP SOLUTION: S O C K L O C K L O O K L O O T S O O T S H O T S H O E Did you come up with a different sequence of... READ ON

Article

Brain Game: Arthritis

Today's mentalfloss.com Brain Game Wednesday Wordplay challenge is a word ladder. Good luck! By changing one letter in each step to form English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert THUMB into BENDS in the fewest possible steps. T H U M B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ B E N D S Here is one 8-step SOLUTION. AN 8-STEP SOLUTION: T H U M B T H U M P T R U M P T R A M P T R A M S T E A M S B E A M S B E... READ ON