Verified solution
The shortest route from PANS
PANSPALSPALLPOLLPOOLPOOP
- 01PANS → PALS3rd letter, N to L
- 02PALS → PALL4th letter, S to L
- 03PALL → POLL2nd letter, A to O
- 04POLL → POOL3rd letter, L to O
- 05POOL → POOP4th letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
PANS has 21 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
CANS4 leftPONS4 leftPALS4 leftBANS5 leftFANS5 leftSANS5 leftTANS5 leftVANS5 leftPENS5 leftPINS5 leftPUNS5 leftPADS5 leftPAPS5 leftPARS5 leftPASS5 leftPATS5 leftPAWS5 leftPAYS5 leftPANE5 leftPANG6 leftPANT6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 3 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 →