JANUARY 25, 2026 · PUZZLE #164
CITE to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
CITE
START01
COTE
LETTER 202
COME
LETTER 303
COMP
LETTER 404
COOP
LETTER 305
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
CITE and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 1 additional move; the third letter changes more than once.
Start by changing the second letter: CITE → COTE. Near the goal, COOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its first letter.
Every letter change
- CITE → COTE: change letter 2 from I to O.
- COTE → COME: change letter 3 from T to M.
- COME → COMP: change letter 4 from E to P.
- COMP → COOP: change letter 3 from M to O.
- COOP → POOP: change letter 1 from C to P.
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