Verified solution
The shortest route from GIFT
GIFTLIFTLOFTLOOTLOOPPOOP
- 01GIFT → LIFT1st letter, G to L
- 02LIFT → LOFT2nd letter, I to O
- 03LOFT → LOOT3rd letter, F to O
- 04LOOT → LOOP4th letter, T to P
- 05LOOP → POOP1st letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
GIFT has 6 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
LIFT4 leftRIFT5 leftSIFT5 leftGILT5 leftGIST5 leftGIFS6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 1 distinct path 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 →