#295 · Sunday, 27 September 2026

Ladder answer

• GENUS 5 letters
• ENSUING 7 letters — adds two letters to the rung below
• INGENIOUS 9 letters — adds two letters to the rung below

GENUS sits inside ENSUING, which sits inside INGENIOUS — the two letters added at each rung are the whole puzzle. Scrambles shown that day: NUSEG · NNUGISE · ONGIESIUN.

LockCode answer: 5389

The clues and what each one tells you:

1. 5371: 2 in the right place, 0 in the wrong place — 2 of 5, 3, 7, 1 are in the code.
2. 3476: 0 in the right place, 1 in the wrong place — 1 of 3, 4, 7, 6 are in the code.
3. 1745: 0 in the right place, 1 in the wrong place — 1 of 1, 7, 4, 5 are in the code.
4. 1294: 0 in the right place, 1 in the wrong place — 1 of 1, 2, 9, 4 are in the code.
5. After all clues, 8 codes remain possible.

With 8 candidates left, a good second guess splits them by feedback so the third guess is forced. Read the LockCode strategy guide for the method.

Lumen answer: WINDMILL