Verified solution
The shortest route from NEWS
NEWSNETSBETSBOTSBOOSBOOPPOOP
- 01NEWS → NETS3rd letter, W to T
- 02NETS → BETS1st letter, N to B
- 03BETS → BOTS2nd letter, E to O
- 04BOTS → BOOS3rd letter, T to O
- 05BOOS → BOOP4th letter, S to P
- 06BOOP → POOP1st letter, B to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
NEWS has 8 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
MEWS5 leftPEWS5 leftSEWS5 leftNETS5 leftDEWS6 leftHEWS6 leftYEWS6 leftNEWT6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 9 distinct paths at the minimum length of 6. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 6 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →