JANUARY 26, 2026 · PUZZLE #165
PING to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 6 moves.
00
PING
START01
PINE
LETTER 402
PIKE
LETTER 303
POKE
LETTER 204
POME
LETTER 305
POMP
LETTER 406
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 6 moves
PING and POOP differ in 3 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 3 additional moves; the third and fourth letters change more than once.
Start by changing the fourth letter: PING → PINE. Near the goal, POMP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its third letter.
Every letter change
- PING → PINE: change letter 4 from G to E.
- PINE → PIKE: change letter 3 from N to K.
- PIKE → POKE: change letter 2 from I to O.
- POKE → POME: change letter 3 from K to M.
- POME → POMP: change letter 4 from E to P.
- POMP → POOP: change letter 3 from M to O.
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