Find the shortest path from the start word to the end word. Every word between the two needs to be valid. You may replace a letter, delete a letter, or add a letter.
e.g.
CAT -> COT -> COG -> DOG
WHEAT -> HEAT -> HEAD -> HEED -> REED -> BREED -> BREAD
A few challenges that look doable:
LEAD -> GOLD
WORK -> GOLF
BOY -> MAN
KISS -> LOVE
KING -> MATE
BLACK -> WHITE
RANK -> FILE
WAR -> PEACE
Originally posted by talzamirBOY TOY TON TAN MAN
Find the shortest path from the start word to the end word. Every word between the two needs to be valid. You may replace a letter, delete a letter, or add a letter.
e.g.
CAT -> COT -> COG -> DOG
WHEAT -> HEAT -> HEAD -> HEED -> REED -> BREED -> BREAD
A few challenges that look doable:
LEAD -> GOLD
WORK -> GOLF
BOY -> MAN
KISS -> LOVE
KING -> MATE
BLACK -> WHITE
RANK -> FILE
WAR -> PEACE
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Originally posted by talzamirLEAD ->
Find the shortest path from the start word to the end word. Every word between the two needs to be valid. You may replace a letter, delete a letter, or add a letter.
LEAD -> GOLD
WORK -> GOLF
BOY -> MAN
KISS -> LOVE
KING -> MATE
BLACK -> WHITE
RANK -> FILE
WAR -> PEACE
WORK ->
RANK ->
WAR ->
I suspect there is no pair of words which cannot be done as long as you allow adding and removing letters. For one, you could always go down to "A" and back up to the target. But here's a nice secondary problem: is there a pair of words which cannot be done if you allow only adding or removing letters, not both?
Or if that's too strong: how about only allowing adding letters until your step is as long as the longer word, or removing letters until it's as short as the shortest? IOW, in (say) NO -> SURE, allow removing letters from three- or four-letter words, but not from two-letter ones, and adding to three- or two-letter words, but not to four-letter ones?
I'm really not sure if there is an impossible pair under either restriction, but I do believe that there has to be one under the former, at least.
Richard
The first version I thought of was to use replacement only, so that's one more variant in addition to yours.
The requirement that the words in between are also valid makes some combinations challenging. For chess lovers, PAWN -> QUEEN is fairly obvious.. but how to do it? Admittedly, it's hard enough on the chessboard too.
Here are a couple of new solutions, and a couple improvements on ones already posted.
WORK WORD WOLD WOLF GOLF
BOY BAY BAN MAN
KISS MISS MOSS LOSS LOSE LOVE
KING KINE MINE MANE MATE
BLACK SLACK SACK SAC SAT SIT WIT WHIT WHITE
RANK RINK FINK FINE FILE
I have to say that PAWN->QUEEN looks nearly impossible, though.
The problem with PAWN -> QUEEN is undoubtedly the Q. How do you get it in there? You need a pretty awkward word that already has the U.
My Scrabble Dictionary allows UEY (a U-turn) and QUEY (a heifer) but UEY is a pretty rubbish looking word that I object to on principle!
SUINT (something to do with lanolin?) to SQUINT looks more promising. SUINT may be ten kinds of obscure but I'm happier classifying it as a "real word".
So I think it's going to be a pretty long chain, most of which will have little to do with the starting word or the target. But I'd be surprised if there were many combinations which are completely impossible.
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Hmm if uey is no good, how about quit->suit? or squit->suit?
e.g.
queen
quern (a stone for grinding by hand)
query
quey (a heifer)
quay
quat (a drug)
quit
suit
spit
spat
pat
paw
pawn
or quin->ruin
queen
quern
query
quey
quay
quat
quin (a quintuplet)
ruin
rain
pain
pawn
Oh I was overthinking it. I totally overlooked Quit/Suit or other similar pairs.
I also didn't realise QUAT was a word. So you may as well go...
QUEEN
QUERN
QUERY
QUEY
QUAY
QUAT
QAT
PAT
PAW
PAWN
Also apparently QUEYN is a word, which cuts out a step at the other end by going directly between QUEEN and QUEY. No idea what it means - probably some Spenserian nonsense or something similar.
But if it's allowed that would make 8 steps in total. I wonder if that can be improved upon...
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Originally posted by richmcdIt isn't, really. The drug is properly written...
I also didn't realise QUAT was a word.
...
QUAT
QAT
...thus. No 'u'. Apparently it's pronounced with a guttural rather than a velar 'k', and not with a 'w'-sound after it.
Also apparently QUEYN is a word, which cuts out a step at the other end by going directly between QUEEN and QUEY. No idea what it means - probably some Spenserian nonsense or something similar.
A variation on queen or quean, I suspect. It's not in my OED. I know "queynte" from Chaucer, but that doesn't count.
Richard