MARCH 18, 2026 · PUZZLE #216
TIES to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 6 moves.
00
TIES
START01
DIES
LETTER 102
DOES
LETTER 203
DOER
LETTER 404
DOOR
LETTER 305
POOR
LETTER 106
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 6 moves
TIES and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 2 additional moves; the first and fourth letters change more than once.
Start by changing the first letter: TIES → DIES. Near the goal, POOR is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its fourth letter.
Every letter change
- TIES → DIES: change letter 1 from T to D.
- DIES → DOES: change letter 2 from I to O.
- DOES → DOER: change letter 4 from S to R.
- DOER → DOOR: change letter 3 from E to O.
- DOOR → POOR: change letter 1 from D to P.
- POOR → POOP: change letter 4 from R to P.
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