FEBRUARY 2, 2026 · PUZZLE #172
PINS to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
PINS
START01
PONS
LETTER 202
CONS
LETTER 103
COOS
LETTER 304
COOP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
PINS and POOP differ in 3 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 2 additional moves; the first letter changes more than once.
Start by changing the second letter: PINS → PONS. Near the goal, COOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its first letter.
Every letter change
- PINS → PONS: change letter 2 from I to O.
- PONS → CONS: change letter 1 from P to C.
- CONS → COOS: change letter 3 from N to O.
- COOS → COOP: change letter 4 from S to P.
- COOP → POOP: change letter 1 from C to P.
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