Verified solution
The shortest route from ARCH
ARCHARCSARMSAIMSAIDSBIDSBODSBOOSBOOPPOOP
- 01ARCH → ARCS4th letter, H to S
- 02ARCS → ARMS3rd letter, C to M
- 03ARMS → AIMS2nd letter, R to I
- 04AIMS → AIDS3rd letter, M to D
- 05AIDS → BIDS1st letter, A to B
- 06BIDS → BODS2nd letter, I to O
- 07BODS → BOOS3rd letter, D to O
- 08BOOS → BOOP4th letter, S to P
- 09BOOP → POOP1st letter, B to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
ARCH has 2 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
ARCS8 leftARGH10 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 8 distinct paths at the minimum length of 9. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 9 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →