Verified solution
The shortest route from AREA
AREAARIAARIDGRIDGRIPDRIPDROPPROPPOOP
- 01AREA → ARIA3rd letter, E to I
- 02ARIA → ARID4th letter, A to D
- 03ARID → GRID1st letter, A to G
- 04GRID → GRIP4th letter, D to P
- 05GRIP → DRIP1st letter, G to D
- 06DRIP → DROP3rd letter, I to O
- 07DROP → PROP1st letter, D to P
- 08PROP → POOP2nd letter, R to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
AREA has 2 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
ARIA7 leftUREA9 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 3 distinct paths at the minimum length of 8. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 8 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →