STARTING-WORD GUIDE

COME to POOP.

A reusable word-ladder guide, rather than a dated daily puzzle. Every move below changes exactly one letter.

3minimum moves
3shortest routes
Easydistance-based rating

A shortest path from COME.

COME reaches POOP in 3 moves. The list includes 4 words because the starting position costs no move.

  1. StartCOMEThe starting word; no move used
  2. Move 1COMPReplace E with P in position 4
  3. Move 2COOPReplace M with O in position 3
  4. Move 3POOPReplace C with P in position 1
Compare 3 shortest routes
  1. COME · COMP · COOP · POOP
  2. COME · COMP · POMP · POOP
  3. COME · POME · POMP · POOP

This list contains every shortest route in the checked word list.

Which first moves work?

2 next words keep you on a shortest route from COME: COMP, POME.

The table lists all 17 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 3-move minimum.

Next wordMoves remainingTotal via this wordResult
CAME45Longer route
CODE45Longer route
COKE45Longer route
COLE45Longer route
COMA34Longer route
COMB34Longer route
COMP23Shortest route
CONE45Longer route
COPE45Longer route
CORE45Longer route
COTE45Longer route
COVE45Longer route
DOME34Longer route
HOME34Longer route
POME23Shortest route
SOME34Longer route
TOME34Longer route

Why 3 moves is the minimum.

COME differs from POOP in 3 letter positions, so any route needs at least 3 changes. This route meets that lower bound.

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 Easy 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 COME with a different target or read the verification method.

More 3-move ladders.

These starting words have the same shortest distance to POOP in the checked list.