How to play Rungs — free online word ladder puzzle
Climb from one word to another, one letter at a time.
- Players
- 1–4 (solo too)
- Length
- ~7 min
- Type
- Word
- Price
- Free
Rungs is the classic word ladder: change one letter at a time, every step has to be a real word, and you're trying to get from the start word to the target.
Unlike Chainlink there are no clues — you find your own route. That makes it the more open puzzle of the two, and the one where two players can reach the same target by completely different paths.
Free, no app and no sign-up to join — players hop in with a 4-letter code on their own phone.
How to play Rungs
The host picks the number of ladders
Five ladders is the default, each with its own clock.
A start word and a target appear
Both are shown from the beginning, so you can plan a route.
Change one letter per rung
Each step must be a real word of the same length, differing from the last by exactly one letter.
Climb as far as you can
You don't have to reach the target to score — every valid rung counts.
The clock stops
The reveal shows how far each player climbed and the par for the ladder.
What Rungs looks like
How scoring works
Every valid rung you climb banks points, so a partial ladder is a real result rather than a failure.
Reaching the target is worth a bonus on top, and each ladder has a par so you can see whether your route was efficient.
Points accumulate across ladders and the highest total wins.
Tips for winning Rungs
- Look at the target first and work out which letters have to change. That tells you the minimum number of rungs.
- Change the letters the target needs, not the ones that are easy. It's tempting to wander into words that feel productive but move you sideways.
- Vowels are the flexible slots — most ladders route through a vowel swap somewhere in the middle.
- Bank progress rather than stalling. A partial climb scores, so don't spend the whole clock hunting a perfect route.
Frequently asked questions
How many players do you need for Rungs?
One to four. It's self-scored so it works solo as a puzzle.
What's the difference between Rungs and Chainlink?
Rungs is the open ladder — you find your own route to a visible target. Chainlink gives you a clue for each rung, so there's one right answer and the race is pure speed.
Do I have to reach the target?
No. Every valid rung scores, and reaching the target is a bonus on top.
Is it free?
Yes, free to play and free to host, with no account needed to join.
Free, no app and no sign-up to join — players hop in with a 4-letter code on their own phone.