ARGH to POOP.
A reusable word-ladder guide, rather than a dated daily puzzle. Every move below changes exactly one letter.
A shortest path from ARGH.
ARGH reaches POOP in 10 moves. The list includes 11 words because the starting position costs no move.
- StartARGHThe starting word; no move used
- Move 1ARCHReplace G with C in position 3
- Move 2ARCSReplace H with S in position 4
- Move 3ARKSReplace C with K in position 3
- Move 4IRKSReplace A with I in position 1
- Move 5IRISReplace K with I in position 3
- Move 6BRISReplace I with B in position 1
- Move 7BROSReplace I with O in position 3
- Move 8BOOSReplace R with O in position 2
- Move 9BOOPReplace S with P in position 4
- Move 10POOPReplace B with P in position 1
Compare 8 shortest routes
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARKS · IRKS · IRIS · BRIS · BROS · BOOS · BOOP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARKS · IRKS · IRIS · BRIS · BROS · PROS · PROP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · AIDS · BIDS · BODS · BOOS · BOOP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · DIMS · DIME · DOME · POME · POMP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · DIMS · DOMS · DOME · POME · POMP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · RIMS · RAMS · RAMP · ROMP · POMP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · RIMS · RUMS · RUMP · PUMP · POMP · POOP
- ARGH · ARCH · ARCS · ARMS · AIMS · RIMS · RUMS · RUMP · ROMP · POMP · POOP
This list contains every shortest route in the checked word list.
Which first moves work?
One next word keeps you on a shortest route from ARGH: ARCH.
The table lists all 2 accepted one-letter neighbors. “Moves remaining” starts after that first move. “Total via this word” includes it, so you can compare that choice with the 10-move minimum.
Why 10 moves is the minimum.
ARGH differs from POOP in 4 letter positions, so any route needs at least 4 changes. The accepted intermediate words require a longer route: the first complete connection in our search occurs at 10 moves.
The solver searches the checked word graph in distance order. It reaches every word one move away before trying two moves, then continues until it reaches POOP. The minimum applies to this word list; another game or dictionary may accept different connections.
Our Expert label uses distance only: up to 5 moves is Easy, 6 is Moderate, 7 is Tricky, 8 is Hard, and 9 or more is Expert. It does not measure how familiar you will find each word.
Try ARGH with a different target or read the verification method.
More 10-move ladders.
These starting words have the same shortest distance to POOP in the checked list.