Verified solution
The shortest route from PEST
PESTPOSTLOSTLOOTLOOPPOOP
- 01PEST → POST2nd letter, E to O
- 02POST → LOST1st letter, P to L
- 03LOST → LOOT3rd letter, S to O
- 04LOOT → LOOP4th letter, T to P
- 05LOOP → POOP1st letter, L to P
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
PEST has 18 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
HEST4 leftLEST4 leftPOST4 leftPEAT4 leftBEST5 leftFEST5 leftJEST5 leftNEST5 leftREST5 leftTEST5 leftVEST5 leftWEST5 leftZEST5 leftPAST5 leftPELT5 leftPENT5 leftPERT5 leftPESO6 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 9 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 →