OCTOBER 22, 2025 · PUZZLE #69
STUB to POOP.💩
One shortest route in 6 moves.
00
STUB
START01
SNUB
LETTER 202
SNOB
LETTER 303
SLOB
LETTER 204
SLOP
LETTER 405
PLOP
LETTER 106
POOP
GOAL 💩Why this route takes 6 moves
STUB and POOP differ in 4 letter positions. The shortest accepted-word route needs 2 additional moves; the second letter changes more than once.
Start by changing the second letter: STUB → SNUB. Near the goal, PLOP is one letter from POOP; the last move changes its second letter.
Every letter change
- STUB → SNUB: change letter 2 from T to N.
- SNUB → SNOB: change letter 3 from U to O.
- SNOB → SLOB: change letter 2 from N to L.
- SLOB → SLOP: change letter 4 from B to P.
- SLOP → PLOP: change letter 1 from S to P.
- PLOP → POOP: change letter 2 from L to O.
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