In a word builder you are given a word which you have to transform into a bigger word in a series of steps. With each step you can rearrange the letters and either add a new letter or swap a letter already in the word for a different one. Each step must form a common English word. The objective is to get to the bigger word from the smaller word in the least number of steps.

Try to change RED to SCARLET in the smallest number of steps.

Well, since each step can either add a letter or change a letter, this will take at least five steps. There are a few ways to do it in the minimum number of moves. Here's one:

RED


READ      (add A)


TARE      (D → T)


CRATE     (add C)


REACTS    (add S)


SCARLET   (add L)

Posted by DJ on 2003-10-17 08:06:31