TOWER puzzle #9, November 5, 2026

That Thursday's word ladder started at LAMP and ended at BURN. Par, the fewest possible steps, was 4. The connection between the two words: Both give light or heat. Here is the shortest ladder, with the one letter that changes at each step.

The ladder, step by step

• 1. LAMP to LUMP (second letter, A to U). LUMP: noun: a compact mass
• 2. LUMP to BUMP (first letter, L to B). BUMP: verb: knock against with force or violence
• 3. BUMP to BURP (third letter, M to R). BURP: noun: a reflex that expels gas noisily from the stomach through the mouth
• 4. BURP to BURN (fourth letter, P to N). BURN: verb: destroy by fire

One thing to notice in this ladder: the first letter changes once (step 2). This ladder has only one shortest route, so every step is forced.

Notes on the words, with sources

• Meaning of LAMP (noun): A device that generates light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation.
• Origin of LAMP: From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe (“lamp, light”), from Latin lampas (“torch, lamp, light”), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás, “torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor”)
• Meaning of BURN (noun): A physical injury caused by heat, cold, electricity, radiation or caustic chemicals.
• Origin of BURN: From late Middle English burne, birne, metathetic form of brinne, brynne, a variant of brennen, from Old Norse brinna, brenna (“to burn”), from Proto-Germanic *brinnaną (“to burn”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrenw-
• Meaning of LUMP (noun): Something that protrudes, sticks out, or sticks together; a cluster or blob; a mound or mass of no particular shape.

Sources: Wiktionary: lamp (revision 95096207, read 2026-11-06); Wiktionary: burn (revision 93682593, read 2026-11-06); Wiktionary: lump (revision 94561304, read 2026-11-06). Text from Wiktionary and Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, edited by their contributors.