Verified solution
The shortest route from NEAR
NEARBEARBOARBOORPOORPOOP
- 01NEAR → BEAR1st letter, N 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?
NEAR has 13 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
BEAR4 leftDEAR5 leftFEAR5 leftGEAR5 leftHEAR5 leftPEAR5 leftREAR5 leftSEAR5 leftTEAR5 leftWEAR5 leftYEAR5 leftNEAT5 leftNEAP6 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 →