#17 · Tuesday, 23 December 2025

Ladder answer

• GRIEF 5 letters
• FOREIGN 7 letters — adds two letters to the rung below
• FOREGOING 9 letters — adds two letters to the rung below

GRIEF sits inside FOREIGN, which sits inside FOREGOING — the two letters added at each rung are the whole puzzle. Scrambles shown that day: ERGIF · NRIGEOF · GOOINGERF.

LockCode answer: 9520

The clues and what each one tells you:

1. 9580: 3 in the right place, 0 in the wrong place — 3 of 9, 5, 8, 0 are in the code.
2. 6793: 0 in the right place, 1 in the wrong place — 1 of 6, 7, 9, 3 are in the code.
3. 8195: 0 in the right place, 2 in the wrong place — 2 of 8, 1, 9, 5 are in the code.
4. 4701: 0 in the right place, 1 in the wrong place — 1 of 4, 7, 0, 1 are in the code.
5. After all clues, 3 codes remain possible.

With 3 candidates left, a good second guess splits them by feedback so the third guess is forced. Read the LockCode strategy guide for the method.