FEBRUARY 10, 2026 · PUZZLE #180
HAUL to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
HAUL
START01
HALL
LETTER 302
PALL
LETTER 103
POLL
LETTER 204
POOL
LETTER 305
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
HAUL 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 third letter: HAUL → HALL. Near the goal, POOL is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its fourth letter.
Every letter change
- HAUL → HALL: change letter 3 from U to L.
- HALL → PALL: change letter 1 from H to P.
- PALL → POLL: change letter 2 from A to O.
- POLL → POOL: change letter 3 from L to O.
- POOL → POOP: change letter 4 from L to P.
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