Change the 1st letter S to C, turning SAFE into CAFE.
Change the 3rd letter F to S, turning CAFE into CASE.
Change the 4th letter E to T, turning CASE into CAST.
Change the 1st letter C to P, turning CAST into PAST.
Change the 2nd letter A to E, turning PAST into PEST.
Change the 1st letter P to B, turning PEST into BEST.
Change positions: pos 1: 3, pos 2: 1, pos 3: 1, pos 4: 1. Most-changed position: 1 (3).
Change sequence: 1, 3, 4, 1, 2, 1.
Letter mix: V→V 1, V→C 1, C→V 0, C→C 4.
Word stats: 7 words, 8 unique letters. Start/target share 0 positions.
Q: What is the shortest path from SAFE to BEST?
A: The optimal solution for the Word Ladder from SAFE to BEST takes exactly 6 steps.
Q: Any tips for today's puzzle?
A: This puzzle involves 4-letter words. A good strategy is to look for common intermediate words or focus on changing vowels first.
Q: Where can I play past Word Ladder puzzles?
A: You can access our complete archive by clicking the "Puzzle Archive" link at the bottom of the page.