Word Ladder strategy
Compare the starting word with the target position by position. A useful intermediate word does more than move one letter closer: it also leaves several legal exits. When a route stalls, work backward from the target and look for a word that connects the two neighborhoods. Before committing to a bridge, list the positions it changes relative to both endpoints. A word that looks closer to WARM can still be a dead end when none of its one-letter neighbors appear in the disclosed challenge set. Treat available exits as evidence, not just visual similarity.
A worked COLD to WARM example
COLD can become CORD, then CARD, WARD, and WARM. Every step changes exactly one position. The route first builds the useful RD ending, then changes the vowel and outer letters. Trying to force the W immediately would close the route inside this reviewed set. Check the route by underlining the single changed position at every move: COLD to CORD changes L to R, while CORD to CARD changes O to A. Rearranging letters, changing two positions, or using a word outside the current set breaks the ladder even if the endpoints remain plausible.
What to review after a ladder
Keep the first word where you had only one possible next move. That is the fragile decision. Compare it with an alternative that offered two or three exits, and check whether the stronger branch also moved toward a neighbor of the target. A useful review record contains total moves, dead ends, and the point where forward and backward searches met. These details separate efficient planning from a lucky route. Replaying the same endpoints with one different bridge shows whether the method works beyond a memorized sequence.
