MARCH 7, 2026 · PUZZLE #205
WAKE to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
WAKE
START01
WOKE
LETTER 202
POKE
LETTER 103
POME
LETTER 304
POMP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
WAKE 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 second letter: WAKE → WOKE. Near the goal, POMP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its third letter.
Every letter change
- WAKE → WOKE: change letter 2 from A to O.
- WOKE → POKE: change letter 1 from W to P.
- 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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