Rung #73: BOXED to LANDS — the solution

The Rung ladder from October 26, 2026: BOXED to LANDS, one letter at a time, every step a real word. Par is 6: the shortest climb there is takes 5 rungs, and par gives you one to spare.

The puzzle

Climb from BOXED to LANDS. The shortest climb through the whole accepted dictionary, counting the leap — two letters changed in one move, once, at the cost of two rungs — is 5 rungs; par is one more, so the shortest route comes in under it. The leap does not shorten this one: 5 rungs is the shortest climb with or without it.

The walkthrough

A climb under par, one of 39 shortest: at every step a single letter changes and every word on the way is one the game accepts.

1. BOXED → BONED — the third letter, X becomes N.
2. BONED → BONES — the fifth letter, D becomes S.
3. BONES → BONDS — the fourth letter, E becomes D.
4. BONDS → BANDS — the second letter, O becomes A.
5. BANDS → LANDS — the first letter, B becomes L.

Other routes as short: BOXED · BOXES · BONES · BONDS · BANDS · LANDS; BOXED · BONES · BONDS · BANDS · LANDS; BOXED · BONED · BONDS · BANDS · LANDS; and more.

The answer

BOXED · BONED · BONES · BONDS · BANDS · LANDS — 5 rungs.

Previous: Rung #72 (Sun, Oct 25) · Next: Rung #74 (Tue, Oct 27) · All Rung solutions

About Rung

Rung is Noggin’s daily word ladder: five 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, and a hint when you are stuck. How to play Rung, or play today’s.