What is Raddle?
Raddle is a daily word ladder with clues. Each puzzle gives you a start word and an end word that share a theme, and between them sit a series of steps. Each step is a new word, and each one is linked to the word before it by a small change to its letters. You get a clue for each step, but the clues are shuffled, so part of the puzzle is working out which clue fits where. As you solve each rung, the ladder climbs closer to the end word, and the theme usually becomes clearer as you go. Puzzles are designed by Sandy Weisz and often tie in with something in the news or the calendar. Raddle suits crossword solvers and fans of word ladders who enjoy clues with a bit of wordplay, and it's a good brain workout that takes around ten minutes.
How to play
- Start at the top word and work down towards the end word.
- Each step makes a small change to the letters of the previous word.
- Use the shuffled clues to figure out each step in order.
Quick facts
- Typical time
- 8–12 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Price
- Free to play.
- Account
- Not needed. A free account syncs your progress between devices.
- Past puzzles
- Free. Step back a day at a time with the arrows, or open the full archive.
- On a phone
- Works in your phone's browser. Nothing to install.
Tips to get better
- Read every clue before you start. The clues are shuffled. A quick read shows you which ones could only belong near the start or near the end.
- Keep the previous word in mind. Each new word is a small change from the last, so you rarely have to solve a clue cold. Ask which small change to the word above would fit one of the clues.
- Work from both ends. You know the first word and the last. If the top is slow going, think about what the rung just before the final word must look like.
- Let the theme help. The start and end words share a theme, and the steps often nod to it. If two answers fit, pick the one that suits the theme.
- Use elimination. Each clue is used once. With three left, even a vague clue becomes clear.
Who it's for
Raddle is for people who like crossword clues but want a puzzle with momentum. Every answer leads to the next, so you're rarely stuck for long, and the themes are witty. It asks for about ten minutes and some general knowledge, with an American slant. It's made by hand by one designer, and you can tell.
