Ducklark Games / Stepword ladders / Ladder #2
Stepword #2: Change HEAD into TAIL
HEAD to TAIL in 5 steps: that was the job on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, under the story line “Change HEAD into TAIL”. It was number 2 in Stepword’s run of story ladders.
The facts for #2
- Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- Start word: HEAD
- Goal word: TAIL
- Par: 5 steps
- Word length: 4 letters
Why ladder #2 takes 5 steps
Par is 5 against 4 different places. The gap of one is a detour built into the ladder: one rung that changes a letter the goal does not need, to reach a word that can carry on.
No letter sits in the same place in both words, so every position has to change at some point on the way. The letter A turns up in both words as well, in different places. Count the vowels and the start word has 2, the goal 2. Only one par ladder exists in the game’s word list, so there is a single perfect route.
- Letter 1: H to T
- Letter 2: E to A
- Letter 3: A to I
- Letter 4: D to L
Ladder #2 against the others
Weekday ladders use four letters and weekend ladders five; this Wednesday one used 4. 8 of the 18 ladders so far have had a par of 5.
Climbing #2 yourself
Stepword replays reach back seven days. Wednesday’s ladder is past that, so play whatever the calendar offers or take on today’s.
The answer ladder is not printed here.
Yesterday and tomorrow of #2
- Stepword #1: Turn COLD into WARM (Oct 6), COLD to WARM, par 4
- Stepword #3: CHOP the MEAT (Oct 8), CHOP to MEAT, par 5
The full list of ladders has every finished day, and this guide explains par. Other daily games are on the topics page.