Archive
Date: 2026-05-27
DISH → BEAN
Difficulty: Hard Goal Steps: 8 4 Letters

Today's Word Ladder puzzle connects DISH to BEAN 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 DISH → FISH
Change the 1st letter D to F, turning DISH into FISH.
Step 2 FISH → FIST
Change the 4th letter H to T, turning FISH into FIST.
Step 3 FIST → FAST
Change the 2nd letter I to A, turning FIST into FAST.
Step 4 FAST → PAST
Change the 1st letter F to P, turning FAST into PAST.
Step 5 PAST → PEST
Change the 2nd letter A to E, turning PAST into PEST.
Step 6 PEST → BEST
Change the 1st letter P to B, turning PEST into BEST.
Step 7 BEST → BEAT
Change the 3rd letter S to A, turning BEST into BEAT.
Step 8 BEAT → BEAN
Change the 4th letter T to N, turning BEAT into BEAN.

Puzzle Insights

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

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

Letter mix: V→V 2, V→C 0, C→V 1, C→C 5.

Word stats: 9 words, 11 unique letters. Start/target share 0 positions.

Try It Before You Reveal the Path

Cover the steps and work from both DISH and BEAN 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 1 from D to F first, but saves position 4 (T to N) for the finish. That is a useful reminder to enter a familiar word family before forcing the final spelling.

At the midpoint, PAST matches 0 target positions. 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 DISH to BEAN without looking at the route and compare your reasoning with the solution.

FAQ

Q: What is the shortest path from DISH to BEAN?
A: The optimal solution for the Word Ladder from DISH to BEAN 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