JANUARY 11, 2026 · PUZZLE #150
HATS to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
HATS
START01
BATS
LETTER 102
BOTS
LETTER 203
BOOS
LETTER 304
BOOP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
HATS and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 1 additional move; the first letter changes more than once.
Start by changing the first letter: HATS → BATS. Near the goal, BOOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its first letter.
Every letter change
- HATS → BATS: change letter 1 from H to B.
- BATS → BOTS: change letter 2 from A to O.
- BOTS → BOOS: change letter 3 from T to O.
- BOOS → BOOP: change letter 4 from S to P.
- BOOP → POOP: change letter 1 from B to P.
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