In a word meld, you are given one word to try to change into another, one step at a time. Each step consists of changing one letter of the word into another while still having a true English word. For example, one step would be to change the word "PIE" to "PIT." Another step could change "PIT" to "POT," and so on.

What is the fewest number of steps in which you can change "LONE" to "WOLF"?

L O N E
. . . .
. . . .
W O L F

(I did it in 6 steps)

LONE
LONF
WONF
WOLF

LONF - a short, forceful exhalation through the nose, typically in response to a joke told in English by a native French speaker -- considered slang.
WONF - sarcastic tossing of the head, meant to convey annoyance at one's parents for their abject cluelessness about all things adolescent -- considered very, very slang.

I'm kidding, of course! I agree with those who said before that these problems are meant to be solved with common words (or with humor; ryan smith's solution is my favorite). My apologies for searching the dictionary. It's an addiction of mine.

Posted by Bryan on 2003-06-09 05:17:34