Archive
Date: 2026-04-15
AIMS → POSE
Difficulty: Hard Goal Steps: 8 4 Letters

Today's Word Ladder puzzle connects AIMS to POSE in 8 steps. This 4-letter word puzzle challenges your vocabulary and logic skills. Can you find the shortest path?

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Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1 AIMS → AIDS
Change the 3rd letter M to D, turning AIMS into AIDS.
Step 2 AIDS → KIDS
Change the 1st letter A to K, turning AIDS into KIDS.
Step 3 KIDS → KISS
Change the 3rd letter D to S, turning KIDS into KISS.
Step 4 KISS → MISS
Change the 1st letter K to M, turning KISS into MISS.
Step 5 MISS → MOSS
Change the 2nd letter I to O, turning MISS into MOSS.
Step 6 MOSS → LOSS
Change the 1st letter M to L, turning MOSS into LOSS.
Step 7 LOSS → LOSE
Change the 4th letter S to E, turning LOSS into LOSE.
Step 8 LOSE → POSE
Change the 1st letter L to P, turning LOSE into POSE.

Puzzle Insights

Change positions: pos 1: 4, pos 2: 1, pos 3: 2, pos 4: 1. Most-changed position: 1 (4).

Change sequence: 3, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 4, 1.

Letter mix: V→V 1, V→C 1, C→V 1, C→C 5.

Word stats: 9 words, 10 unique letters. Start/target share 0 positions.

Try It Before You Reveal the Path

Cover the steps and work from both AIMS and POSE first. This ladder needs 8 moves, and the endpoints already share 0 letter positions—so a useful move does not always look immediately closer to the target.

The recorded route changes position 3 from M to D first, but saves position 1 (L to P) for the finish. That is a useful reminder to enter a familiar word family before forcing the final spelling.

At the midpoint, MISS matches 1 target position. On your replay, explain why that bridge gives you more options than a random swap; this path changes position 1 most often.

Practice prompt: choose two unfamiliar bridge words, check their definitions, and write a short sentence for each. Then replay AIMS to POSE without looking at the route and compare your reasoning with the solution.

FAQ

Q: What is the shortest path from AIMS to POSE?
A: The optimal solution for the Word Ladder from AIMS to POSE takes exactly 8 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.

Word Definitions