Word Ladders Puzzle

You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined now by our quiz guy, John Chaneski.

Hello, John.

Hi, John.

Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha. How are you guys?

Welcome back. Nice to hear from you again.

Doing well.

It’s great to be back.

What kind of puzzle do you have for us? You got a quiz something?

I got a little something for you today.

A hard time to give us?

We’ll see about that.

You guys know what a word letter is, I’m sure.

You begin with a word, any word.

Say we’ll use the word, word, W-O-R-D.

And then you change one letter, say the W to C to make.

Chord.

Chord.

Then change another letter, say the D in chord, to E for.

Core.

Right.

Change the O in core to A for.

Care.

Good.

And finally, the only original letter left is the R in care.

Change it to M for.

Came.

Came.

Good.

So we’ve changed word to came.

Now, we’re going to do a few of these small word letters.

I like to call them step letters.

Word letters.

Letters.

I thought you said word letter.

I did too.

Oh, word letters, sorry.

I have a new word.

I’m flapping T in American English.

Sorry.

It’s so confusing.

Ladder.

Your T’s flapping, John.

Word ladders.

So I like to call them step ladders.

At each step, I’ll give you a clue to the new word we’re making.

So here we go.

Okay.

Starting with the word step, S-T-E-P.

Change a letter to get the opposite of go.

Stop.

Stop.

There we go.

Start off easy.

Now I’d like you to make wet food specifically for pigs.

Slop.

Slop.

All right.

How about the sound a horse’s hoof makes?

Clop.

Good.

Or how about we’ll end with a dense, dull person?

Clod.

Clod.

Good.

Okay.

That’s our starter.

Nice, easy one.

Let’s try another one.

Starting with the word quiz, change the letter to get a slang for one pound sterling.

Quid.

Quid.

Yes.

How about a high traffic area of a college?

Clod.

Good.

Here’s a somewhat rare word for a pair of objects.

Do-ad?

Do-ad, yes.

Really?

Very good.

Just a guess.

And from do-ad, we’ll get expired.

Dead.

Dead, that’s it.

And that word letter is dead.

Let’s move on to the next one.

Starting with the word pain, P-A-I-N.

Change a letter to get extremely self-absorbed.

Pain to extremely self-absorbed.

Vein.

Vein, very good.

How about from vein to a component of the circulatory system?

Vein.

Vein to vein.

Very good.

How about from vein, V-E-I-N, to a covering for the face?

Veil.

Veil, good.

And from veil to the meat from a calf?

Veal.

Veal, very good.

All right.

Next stepladder.

Starting with the word line, L-I-N-E.

Change a letter to make part of a chain.

Link.

Yes.

From there, from link to a hockey venue.

Rink.

Rink.

From rink to uncommonly putrid.

Rink.

Rink.

From rink to a piece of billiards equipment.

Rack.

Rack.

Nice work.

Here’s the next one.

Starting with the word bear, B-E-A-R.

Change a letter to a policeman’s patrol.

Beat.

Beat, yes.

From beat to without equal.

Best.

Best, yes.

From without equal, from best.

To rib.

To rib?

Jest.

To rib.

Jest, yes, very good.

Oh, jest.

An intentionally short, curt clue.

And from jest, let’s change jest to something that means fair and equitable.

Jest.

Just.

Just very nice.

Okay, let’s do one more.

Okay.

Starting from rasp, R-A-S-P.

Give me a word meaning impetuous.

Resh.

Good.

Now give me the title of a popular 70s dramedy.

MASH.

Yes.

From MASH to a grammar school subject.

Math.

Math.

And from math to legendary.

Try a legendary story.

Myth.

Myth.

Yes, very good.

You did myth that one.

That was great.

Thank you, John.

If you’d like to talk about grammar, slang, punctuation, or words and how we use them, the number to call is 1-877-929-9673.

That’s 1-877-WAYWORD, or send us an email to words@waywordradio.org.