Verified solution
The shortest route from HAWK
HAWKHACKHOCKHOOKHOOPPOOP
- 01HAWK → HACK3rd letter, W to C
- 02HACK → HOCK2nd letter, A to O
- 03HOCK → HOOK3rd letter, C to O
- 04HOOK → HOOP4th letter, K to P
- 05HOOP → POOP1st letter, H to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
HAWK has 5 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
HACK4 leftHANK4 leftHARK5 leftHAWS5 leftGAWK6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 2 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 →