Verified solution
The shortest route from WAKE
WAKEWOKEPOKEPOMEPOMPPOOP
- 01WAKE → WOKE2nd letter, A to O
- 02WOKE → POKE1st letter, W to P
- 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?
WAKE has 15 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
WOKE4 leftCAKE5 leftSAKE5 leftTAKE5 leftWALE5 leftWARE5 leftBAKE6 leftFAKE6 leftLAKE6 leftMAKE6 leftRAKE6 leftWADE6 leftWAGE6 leftWANE6 leftWAVE6 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 →