Verified solution
The shortest route from ETCH
ETCHEACHMACHMUCHMUCKLUCKLOCKLOOKLOOPPOOP
- 01ETCH → EACH2nd letter, T to A
- 02EACH → MACH1st letter, E to M
- 03MACH → MUCH2nd letter, A to U
- 04MUCH → MUCK4th letter, H to K
- 05MUCK → LUCK1st letter, M to L
- 06LUCK → LOCK2nd letter, U to O
- 07LOCK → LOOK3rd letter, C to O
- 08LOOK → LOOP4th letter, K to P
- 09LOOP → POOP1st letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
ETCH has 2 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
EACH8 leftITCH10 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 64 distinct paths at the minimum length of 9. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 9 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →