How to play Stringle
Turn the starting word into the target word by changing exactly one letter per move. Every word must contain four letters and belong to Stringle’s accepted dictionary. You cannot repeat a word in the same ladder.
A complete example
To turn COLD into WARM, one shortest route is:
- COLD → CORD: change L to R.
- CORD → CARD: change O to A.
- CARD → WARD: change C to W.
- WARD → WARM: change D to M.
That is four moves. The starting word is not counted as a move. Each step is a word, and each changes just one letter.
Typing your next word
Type the complete next word using your keyboard or the on-screen keys, then press Enter. Backspace removes a letter. You can select or move through letters in the input to edit a word. An invalid move leaves your ladder unchanged and displays an explanation.
What the green tiles mean
A green tile means its letter matches the target in that exact position. It does not mark the letter you just changed. Letters in other positions stay neutral. You can change a green letter later if the route needs it; green tiles are feedback, not locked positions.
Undo, Restart and Hint
Undo removes the last accepted move so you can try a different route. Restart clears the current ladder after confirmation, while preserving recorded results and hints already used. Hint asks before revealing the next word on a shortest remaining path that avoids repeated words. If you have reached a dead end, undo a move to open another route.
Daily and Endless
Daily changes at midnight UTC, which may be earlier or later than local midnight. Switch to Endless for randomized puzzles. Each mode keeps its own ladder. Completing a puzzle records your moves and hints; the result also shows the optimal move count. Replaying the same completed puzzle does not add another completion to your statistics.
After a Daily puzzle
The results graph compares your first submitted result with other submitted Daily results. A percentage appears when another result is available. Tied scores are not counted as beaten. Assistance, network limits and voluntary participation affect the sample; it is not a verified player ranking. A bot check may be needed before your result can be counted. Your local completion is saved even if the comparison is unavailable.
Useful strategies
Look for common word families, but do not assume that every move must create another green tile. A useful route may temporarily move away from the target. If you get stuck, undo and try a different vowel or ending. Several routes can solve the same puzzle.
Settings include theme and sound preferences. Open the help icon anytime to revisit the short guide. For a problem with input, a word or accessibility, contact the operator.