Verified solution
The shortest route from DUKE
DUKEPUKEPOKEPOMEPOMPPOOP
- 01DUKE → PUKE1st letter, D to P
- 02PUKE → POKE2nd letter, U to O
- 03POKE → POME3rd letter, K to M
- 04POME → POMP4th letter, E to P
- 05POMP → POOP3rd letter, M to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
DUKE has 7 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
PUKE4 leftJUKE5 leftNUKE5 leftDIKE5 leftDUNE5 leftDUPE5 leftDUDE6 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 →