Verified solution
The shortest route from STUN
STUNSPUNSPURSOURPOURPOORPOOP
- 01STUN → SPUN2nd letter, T to P
- 02SPUN → SPUR4th letter, N to R
- 03SPUR → SOUR2nd letter, P to O
- 04SOUR → POUR1st letter, S to P
- 05POUR → POOR3rd letter, U to O
- 06POOR → POOP4th letter, R to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
STUN has 4 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
SPUN5 leftSHUN6 leftSTUB6 leftSTUD6 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 →