JANUARY 29, 2026 · PUZZLE #168
PINE to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
PINE
START01
PIKE
LETTER 302
POKE
LETTER 203
POME
LETTER 304
POMP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
PINE and POOP differ in 3 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 2 additional moves; the third letter changes more than once.
Start by changing the third letter: PINE → PIKE. Near the goal, POMP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its third letter.
Every letter change
- 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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