Verified solution
The shortest route from APEX
APEXAPEDSPEDSLEDPLEDPLODPLOPPOOP
- 01APEX → APED4th letter, X to D
- 02APED → SPED1st letter, A to S
- 03SPED → SLED2nd letter, P to L
- 04SLED → PLED1st letter, S to P
- 05PLED → PLOD3rd letter, E to O
- 06PLOD → PLOP4th letter, D to P
- 07PLOP → POOP2nd letter, L to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
APEX has 2 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
APED6 leftAPES7 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 1 distinct path at the minimum length of 7. The route shown above is one complete answer, not the only valid sequence. Any route reaching POOP in 7 moves is equally short.
Calculate a route from a different word →