Rung #33: YARD to KEPT — the solution

The Rung ladder from September 16, 2026: YARD to KEPT, one letter at a time, every step a real word. Par is 5, with one two-letter leap in hand.

The puzzle

Climb from YARD to KEPT. 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. The leap does not shorten this one: 5 rungs is the shortest climb with or without it.

The walkthrough

A climb that makes par, one of 34 shortest: at every step a single letter changes and every word on the way is one the game accepts.

1. YARD → HARD — the first letter, Y becomes H.
2. HARD → HERD — the second letter, A becomes E.
3. HERD → HEPT — the leap: R becomes P and D becomes T, two letters in one move for two rungs.
4. HEPT → KEPT — the first letter, H becomes K.

Other routes as short: YARD · HARD · HART · HEPT · KEPT; YARD · YERD · HERD · HEPT · KEPT; YARD · CARD · CART · CERT · KEPT; and more.

The answer

YARD · HARD · HERD · HEPT · KEPT — 5 rungs, the leap landing on the word in italics.

Previous: Rung #32 (Tue, Sep 15) · Next: Rung #34 (Thu, Sep 17)

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.