Verified solution
The shortest route from FUSE
FUSERUSEROSEPOSEPOMEPOMPPOOP
- 01FUSE → RUSE1st letter, F to R
- 02RUSE → ROSE2nd letter, U to O
- 03ROSE → POSE1st letter, R to P
- 04POSE → POME3rd letter, S to M
- 05POME → POMP4th letter, E to P
- 06POMP → POOP3rd letter, M to O
First moves
What happens after the opening word?
FUSE has 5 legal one-letter moves. These are the best routes after move one:
RUSE5 leftMUSE6 leftFUME6 leftFUSS6 leftFUZE7 left
Answer notes
Why there can be more than one answer.
This opening has 1 distinct path 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 →