Rung #87: LINED to FAILS — the solution

The Rung ladder from November 9, 2026: LINED to FAILS, one letter at a time, every step a real word. Par is 7: the shortest climb there is takes 5 rungs, and par gives you 2 to spare.

The puzzle

Climb from LINED to FAILS. 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 2 more, so the shortest route comes in under it. Without the leap the shortest climb is 6 rungs; the leap saves 1.

The walkthrough

A climb under par, one of 3 shortest: at every step a single letter changes and every word on the way is one the game accepts.

1. LINED → LINES — the fifth letter, D becomes S.
2. LINES → LANES — the second letter, I becomes A.
3. LANES → FANES — the first letter, L becomes F.
4. FANES → FAILS — the leap: N becomes I and E becomes L, two letters in one move for two rungs.

Other routes as short: LINED · LINES · FINES · FANES · FAILS; LINED · FINED · FINES · FANES · FAILS.

The answer

LINED · LINES · LANES · FANES · FAILS — 5 rungs, the leap landing on the word in italics.

Previous: Rung #86 (Sun, Nov 8) · Next: Rung #88 (Tue, Nov 10) · 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.