Poople #378 — August 27, 2026 (GELS)
Start word GELS · Par 5 · Easy
Three hints, one at a time
Show the par
The shortest route takes 5 steps.
Show a positional tip
Start by changing letter 4, counting from the left.
Show the first bridge word
GELD
Full path
- Start Starting word
- 01 Letter 4: S → D
- 02 Letter 2: E → O
- 03 Letter 3: L → O
- 04 Letter 4: D → P
- 05 Letter 1: G → P
5 steps
The first step has 7 legal moves; 1 keeps a shortest route to POOP.
Breadth-first search checks shorter distances before reaching POOP. A separate search verifies the minimum using the same accepted vocabulary. Every move changes one letter. Our word list may differ from the official game, so its shortest route may differ too.
Some puzzles have several equally short routes. We show the one our BFS returns, using a fixed alphabetical tie-break.
Bridge words
- GELD
- verb. To castrate a male animal.
- GOLD
- noun. A valuable yellow metal used in jewelry and coins.
- GOOD
- adjective. Of high or satisfactory quality.
- GOOP
- noun. A thick, sticky substance; goo.