Verified solution
The shortest route from APPS
APPSAPTSOPTSOUTSCUTSCOTSCOOSCOOPPOOP
- 01APPS → APTS3rd letter, P to T
- 02APTS → OPTS1st letter, A to O
- 03OPTS → OUTS2nd letter, P to U
- 04OUTS → CUTS1st letter, O to C
- 05CUTS → COTS2nd letter, U to O
- 06COTS → COOS3rd letter, T to O
- 07COOS → COOP4th letter, S to P
- 08COOP → POOP1st letter, C to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
APPS has 5 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
APES7 leftAPTS7 leftALPS8 leftAMPS9 leftASPS9 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 5 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 →