Verified solution
The shortest route from SWAY
SWAYSLAYPLAYPLOYPLOPPOOP
- 01SWAY → SLAY2nd letter, W to L
- 02SLAY → PLAY1st letter, S to P
- 03PLAY → PLOY3rd letter, A to O
- 04PLOY → PLOP4th letter, Y to P
- 05PLOP → POOP2nd letter, L to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
SWAY has 10 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
SLAY4 leftSWAP4 leftSPAY5 leftSTAY5 leftSWAB5 leftSWAG5 leftSWAM5 leftSWAN5 leftSWAT5 leftAWAY6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 6 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 →