MARCH 3, 2026 · PUZZLE #201
PONG to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
PONG
START01
BONG
LETTER 102
BONK
LETTER 403
BOOK
LETTER 304
BOOP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
PONG and POOP differ in 2 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 3 additional moves; the first and fourth letters change more than once.
Start by changing the first letter: PONG → BONG. Near the goal, BOOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its first letter.
Every letter change
- PONG → BONG: change letter 1 from P to B.
- BONG → BONK: change letter 4 from G to K.
- BONK → BOOK: change letter 3 from N to O.
- BOOK → BOOP: change letter 4 from K to P.
- BOOP → POOP: change letter 1 from B to P.
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