Blog · November 6, 2026
Word pyramid vs. word ladder: what is the difference?
Both are word puzzles where you move through a stack of words, and the names get mixed up. They ask for different thinking. To see the rules of one daily pyramid, read how to play Wordolith.
Word ladder: change one letter
In a word ladder you start with one word and must reach a target word. Every step changes exactly one letter, and every step must be a real word. The length of the word never changes. The skill is finding a chain of neighbouring words that connects the start to the finish.
Word pyramid: add one letter
In a word pyramid the words get longer. You start with a short word and each row adds one letter. Games differ on the details, such as whether you may rearrange the letters at each step, so check the rules of the one you play.
How Wordolith’s pyramid works
Wordolith is a daily word pyramid with these rules:
- You get seven letter tiles that spell one seven-letter word. Everyone gets the same tiles on a given day.
- Row one is a two-letter word made from any two tiles.
- Each new row keeps every letter of the row above, adds exactly one unused tile, and may put the letters in any order.
- The last row uses all seven tiles.
- If no unused tile can make a longer word, the pyramid crumbles. You lose one of three stones and start again from the ground. Wrong guesses cost nothing.
Here is an illustration on made-up tiles (P, L, A, N, T, E, D), not a real daily puzzle: AT, ATE, LATE, PLATE, PLANET, PLANTED. PLATE becomes PLANET by adding N and rearranging.
Which one should you try?
- If you like finding a path between two fixed words, try a word ladder.
- If you like planning ahead so you do not get stuck, with letters you must save for later rows, try a word pyramid.
Wordolith is free and needs no account. Play today’s puzzle or read the full how to play guide.