Verified solution
The shortest route from NEED
NEEDPEEDPEEPPREPPROPPOOP
- 01NEED → PEED1st letter, N to P
- 02PEED → PEEP4th letter, D to P
- 03PEEP → PREP2nd letter, E to R
- 04PREP → PROP3rd letter, E to O
- 05PROP → POOP2nd letter, R to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
NEED has 9 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
HEED4 leftPEED4 leftDEED5 leftFEED5 leftREED5 leftSEED5 leftTEED5 leftWEED5 leftNERD6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 3 distinct paths at the minimum length of 5. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 5 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →