POOPLE ANSWERS

JANUARY 30, 2026 · PUZZLE #169

QUAD to POOP.

One shortest route in 8 moves.

00
QUAD
START
01
QUID
LETTER 3
02
QUIT
LETTER 4
03
SUIT
LETTER 1
04
SLIT
LETTER 2
05
SLIP
LETTER 4
06
SLOP
LETTER 3
07
PLOP
LETTER 1
08
POOP
GOAL

Why this route takes 8 moves

QUAD and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 4 additional moves; the first and second and third and fourth letters change more than once.

Start by changing the third letter: QUAD → QUID. Near the goal, PLOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its second letter.

Every letter change

  1. QUAD → QUID: change letter 3 from A to I.
  2. QUID → QUIT: change letter 4 from D to T.
  3. QUIT → SUIT: change letter 1 from Q to S.
  4. SUIT → SLIT: change letter 2 from U to L.
  5. SLIT → SLIP: change letter 4 from T to P.
  6. SLIP → SLOP: change letter 3 from I to O.
  7. SLOP → PLOP: change letter 1 from S to P.
  8. PLOP → POOP: change letter 2 from L to O.
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