How to play Nudge
A new word ladder every day. Change one letter at a time to turn the starting word into the target word.
The rules
- You start with a word, for example COLD, and you're given a target word, for example WARM.
- Type a new word that differs from your last word by exactly one letter, then press Enter.
- Every word you play has to be a real word. Rare, offensive and proper-noun words are not accepted.
- Keep going until you reach the target. You may revisit a word you've already used if you need to back out of a dead end.
- Everyone gets the same puzzle each day, and each puzzle can be played once. A new one arrives at midnight Eastern time.
A worked example
Turn COLD into WARM in four moves:
cord
word
ward
warm
Each step changes one letter (shown in amber), and every step is a real word.
Scoring
Every puzzle has a best route, the fewest possible moves. Your score is how many moves you used compared with it. Matching it earns a "Perfect route". The amber tiles on your ladder show letters that already match the target in the right spot, so they show you how close you are.
After you finish, the result screen shows your moves, the best route, your streak and how many extra moves you typically need. You can copy a spoiler-free emoji summary to share with friends.
Strategy tips
Work from both ends
Don't only think forward from the start. Ask which words sit one step away from the target, and try to meet in the middle.
Fix the letters that already match
If the last letter is already right, protect it. Change the other positions first and leave the matching ones alone until you have to move them.
Change vowels to get unstuck
Vowel swaps (CAT → COT → CUT) open up far more neighbors than most consonant changes. If you're stuck, try a different vowel in the middle.
Avoid awkward letters
Words containing Q, X, Z or J have very few neighbors, so they tend to be dead ends unless the target uses them.
Back up when you're stuck
You can return to a word you've used before. If a path isn't working, step back to a branch point and try another letter.
Frequently asked questions
Why was my word rejected?
It either isn't in our word list, which keeps to everyday English, or it changes more than one letter, or its length doesn't match. Plurals and common verb forms are accepted.
Why can I only play once a day?
The fun of a daily puzzle is that everyone solves the same one. Come back tomorrow for a new ladder.
When does the next puzzle start?
At midnight Eastern time. The result screen shows a countdown.
Do you need an account?
No. Your progress is saved in your browser. See the privacy policy for details.
Where word ladders come from
The word ladder was created by Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He called it "Doublets" and published puzzles in the magazine Vanity Fair in 1879. Over the years it has also been known as word golf and word links. Nudge is a daily version of the same idea.