Verified solution
The shortest route from ITEM
ITEMSTEMSTEPSTOPSLOPPLOPPOOP
- 01ITEM → STEM1st letter, I to S
- 02STEM → STEP4th letter, M to P
- 03STEP → STOP3rd letter, E to O
- 04STOP → SLOP2nd letter, T to L
- 05SLOP → PLOP1st letter, S to P
- 06PLOP → POOP2nd letter, L to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
ITEM has 2 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
STEM5 leftIDEM7 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 1 distinct path 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 →