Verified solution
The shortest route from TEAR
TEARBEARBOARBOORPOORPOOP
- 01TEAR → BEAR1st letter, T to B
- 02BEAR → BOAR2nd letter, E to O
- 03BOAR → BOOR3rd letter, A to O
- 04BOOR → POOR1st letter, B to P
- 05POOR → POOP4th letter, R to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
TEAR has 17 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
BEAR4 leftDEAR5 leftFEAR5 leftGEAR5 leftHEAR5 leftNEAR5 leftPEAR5 leftREAR5 leftSEAR5 leftWEAR5 leftYEAR5 leftTEAL5 leftTEAM5 leftTEAT5 leftTSAR6 leftTEAK6 leftTEAS6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 2 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 →