MAY 29, 2026 · PUZZLE #288
DUNE to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 5 moves.
00
DUNE
START01
DONE
LETTER 202
DOME
LETTER 303
POME
LETTER 104
POMP
LETTER 405
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 5 moves
DUNE 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: DUNE → DONE. Near the goal, POMP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its third letter.
Every letter change
- DUNE → DONE: change letter 2 from U to O.
- DONE → DOME: change letter 3 from N to M.
- DOME → POME: change letter 1 from D to P.
- POME → POMP: change letter 4 from E to P.
- POMP → POOP: change letter 3 from M to O.
ADVERTISEMENT