Verified solution
The shortest route from OWLS
OWLSOILSOILYWILYWILLPILLPOLLPOOLPOOP
- 01OWLS → OILS2nd letter, W to I
- 02OILS → OILY4th letter, S to Y
- 03OILY → WILY1st letter, O to W
- 04WILY → WILL4th letter, Y to L
- 05WILL → PILL1st letter, W to P
- 06PILL → POLL2nd letter, I to O
- 07POLL → POOL3rd letter, L to O
- 08POOL → POOP4th letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
OWLS has 5 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
AWLS7 leftOILS7 leftOWLY7 leftOWES8 leftOWNS9 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 8 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 →