Rung #31: HAVE to PEER — the solution

The Rung ladder from September 14, 2026: HAVE to PEER, one letter at a time, every step a real word. Par is 5, with one two-letter leap in hand.

The puzzle

Climb from HAVE to PEER. 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. HAVE → HAAR — the leap: V becomes A and E becomes R, two letters in one move for two rungs.
2. HAAR → HEAR — the second letter, A becomes E.
3. HEAR → PEAR — the first letter, H becomes P.
4. PEAR → PEER — the third letter, A becomes E.

Other routes as short: HAVE · HAED · HEED · PEED · PEER; HAVE · LAVE · LAER · LEER · PEER; HAVE · LAVE · LEVE · LEER · PEER; and more.

The answer

HAVE · HAAR · HEAR · PEAR · PEER — 5 rungs, the leap landing on the word in italics.

Previous: Rung #30 (Sun, Sep 13) · Next: Rung #32 (Tue, Sep 15)

About Rung

Rung is Noggin’s daily word ladder: four letters, 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. How to play Rung, or play today’s.