Rung #91: STORM to PEERS — the solution

The Rung ladder from November 13, 2026: STORM to PEERS, 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 STORM to PEERS. 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 4 shortest: at every step a single letter changes and every word on the way is one the game accepts.

1. STORM → STARS — the leap: O becomes A and M becomes S, two letters in one move for two rungs.
2. STARS → SEARS — the second letter, T becomes E.
3. SEARS → PEARS — the first letter, S becomes P.
4. PEARS → PEERS — the third letter, A becomes E.

Other routes as short: STORM · STARS · SEARS · SEERS · PEERS; STORM · STORE · STERE · SEERS · PEERS; STORM · STIRS · SEIRS · SEERS · PEERS.

The answer

STORM · STARS · SEARS · PEARS · PEERS — 5 rungs, the leap landing on the word in italics.

Previous: Rung #90 (Thu, Nov 12) · 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.