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Fri 28 Mar, 2008 09:48 am
Sometimes, this game is called Word ladders. The rules are very simple. One attempts to change one word of the same length to another.
1. Only one letter at a time may be changed
2. In making the change the order of the letters may be changed
3. No proper nouns
4. The winner is the person who effects the desired change in the fewest steps.
EXAMPLE:
ARMY to NAVY
MARE
MANE
MANY
NAVY (4 steps) [remember: there may be a shorter solution]
Four-letter problems rapidly become too easy. Try a five:
EXAMPLE:
BLACK to WHITE
CABLE
BLEAT
STALE
RATES
RITES
THEIR
WHITE (7 steps)
Six- and seven-letter problems are more challenging:
BROKEN to MENDED
BONERS
STONER
RESENT
RESEND
RESAND
REMAND
DEMAND
MENDED (8 steps)
Here is a seven I am trying out now. Some, obviously, do not solve. Others are very tricky because of a bottleneck effect, in which one must pass through a particular word.
THUNDER to SHOWERS?
If this game has appeared on A2K before--and was dropped for lack of interest--please forgive. Also, it may be on now, but I haven't spotted it.
Please do not possibly waste your time (unless so inclined) on my perhaps-unsolvable THUNDER-to-SHOWERS.
Instead, post your own transformation challenges, checking them first to be sure they are solvable.
Here's what I should have done right away--some challenges, all of them solvable:
GREEN to RUDDY (I solved in 6; you can do better!)
LOUD to SOFT (I solved in 4)
FLOWER to GARDEN (I solved in 7; you can surely do better than me)
LOUD to SOFT
LOUT
LOFT
SOFT
(3)
Very good, Aidan! I don't think it's mathematically possible to solve in under three.
GARDEN to FLOWER
WARDEN
WARDER
LARDER
LOADER
LOAFER
FLOWER
(6)
Oh my goodness Miklos- what have you done?
I'll be thinking of nothing but the THUNDER to SHOWER thing for the rest of the day.
Fun game!
You win again! Please post a challenge.
I'm still working on GREEN to RUDDY
in less than six!
(as well as thunder to showers)
(Knowing what I have to work to beat brings out my competitive streak)
I'll try to come up with a new one though - nothing like a challenge.
Here's one that took me 14. That's pathetic. Someone can do better.
KNIGHT to CASTLE
LARGE to SMALL (I got it in 6)
LARGE
FLARE
RALES (the lung noises)
MALES
SMALL (4)
Can anyone go in six (or better) from
STORKS to BABIES ?
Brava, Aidan. I don't think anyone will likely beat that!
GREEN to RUDDY
GREED
REEDY
READY
DRYAD
RUDDY
(5)
STORKS TO BABIES
Hi, Aidan
Not only did you best my six, but "dryad" is a particularly graceful move!
Thanks Miklos- I'm still working on THUNDER to SHOWERS- but I can only get from thunder to hundred and then I'm just blanking on a word. Can you think of one?
(Hello both - I'm still trying Storks to Babies!!! Oh, so not good at this!)
Izzie - I start by trying to substitute a vowel I need for one I don't need.
That doesn't always work - but it works for STORKS to BABIES as a first step.
(I hope your feet are healing and you're feeling better).
Good morning,
Here are a couple of new challenges:
PURPLE to ORANGE (You can beat my solution in nine)
FROWN to SMILE (Ditto, my solution in 7)
Stumble It!
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