Rung #27: COME to NEAR — the solution

The Rung ladder from September 10, 2026: COME to NEAR, one letter at a time, every step a real word. Par is 5, with one two-letter leap in hand.

The puzzle

Climb from COME to NEAR. Par is the shortest climb through the whole accepted dictionary, counting the leap — two letters changed in one move, once, at the cost of two rungs — so it cannot be beaten. Without the leap the shortest climb is 6 rungs; the leap saves 1.

The walkthrough

A climb that makes par, one of 14 shortest: at every step a single letter changes and every word on the way is one the game accepts.

1. COME → HOME — the first letter, C becomes H.
2. HOME → HOAR — the leap: M becomes A and E becomes R, two letters in one move for two rungs.
3. HOAR → HEAR — the second letter, O becomes E.
4. HEAR → NEAR — the first letter, H becomes N.

Other routes as short: COME · HOME · HEME · HEAR · NEAR; COME · CONE · NONE · NENE · NEAR; COME · NOME · NONE · NENE · NEAR; and more.

The answer

COME · HOME · HOAR · HEAR · NEAR — 5 rungs, the leap landing on the word in italics.

Previous: Rung #26 (Wed, Sep 9) · Next: Rung #28 (Fri, Sep 11) · All Rung solutions

About Rung

Rung is Noggin’s daily word ladder: four letters that day, five now, one changed at a time, par set by the shortest climb there is. Any real word is a rung; a two-letter leap is yours once a day, and a hint when you are stuck. How to play Rung, or play today’s.