Verified solution
The shortest route from WANT
WANTWONTFONTFOOTFOOLPOOLPOOP
- 01WANT → WONT2nd letter, A to O
- 02WONT → FONT1st letter, W to F
- 03FONT → FOOT3rd letter, N to O
- 04FOOT → FOOL4th letter, T to L
- 05FOOL → POOL1st letter, F to P
- 06POOL → POOP4th letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
WANT has 13 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
CANT5 leftWONT5 leftWANK5 leftGANT6 leftPANT6 leftRANT6 leftWENT6 leftWAFT6 leftWAIT6 leftWART6 leftWAND6 leftWANE6 leftWATT7 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 9 distinct paths 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 →