POOPLE ANSWERS

JULY 31, 2026 · PUZZLE #351

BUZZ to POOP.

One shortest route in 9 moves.

00
BUZZ
START
01
FUZZ
LETTER 1
02
FUZE
LETTER 4
03
FAZE
LETTER 2
04
DAZE
LETTER 1
05
DAME
LETTER 3
06
DOME
LETTER 2
07
POME
LETTER 1
08
POMP
LETTER 4
09
POOP
GOAL

Why this route takes 9 moves

BUZZ and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 5 additional moves; the first and second and third and fourth letters change more than once.

Start by changing the first letter: BUZZ → FUZZ. Near the goal, POMP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its third letter.

Every letter change

  1. BUZZ → FUZZ: change letter 1 from B to F.
  2. FUZZ → FUZE: change letter 4 from Z to E.
  3. FUZE → FAZE: change letter 2 from U to A.
  4. FAZE → DAZE: change letter 1 from F to D.
  5. DAZE → DAME: change letter 3 from Z to M.
  6. DAME → DOME: change letter 2 from A to O.
  7. DOME → POME: change letter 1 from D to P.
  8. POME → POMP: change letter 4 from E to P.
  9. POMP → POOP: change letter 3 from M to O.
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