perplexus.info :: Word Problems : EARTH, WATER, WIND AND FIRE

EARTH, WATER, WIND AND FIRE (Posted on 2007-10-26)

This is another variation of the classic problem of changing one word into another. Instead of changing one word into another one letter at a time for each step, this variation alternates each step by anagramming one word into another.

For example: CAT to DOG can occur as such:
CAT
ACT (anagram)
ANT (letter change)
TAN (anagram)
TON (letter change)
NOT (anagram)
NOD (letter change)
DON (anagram)
DOG (letter change)

Either the letter change or the anagram may occur first, but must then alternate.

I offer four challenges. In the fewest steps,
1) transform EARTH to WATER,
2) convert WIND to FIRE,
3) cross from RIVER to SHORE, and
4) transmute LEAD to GOLD.

Submitted by Dej Mar

Rating: 3.3333 (3 votes)

Solution: (Hide)

Many of these solutions were found and provided by Charlie

CAT [6 steps]
GAT (letter change)
TAG (anagram)
TOG (letter change)
GOT (anagram)
GOD (letter change)
DOG (anagram)

- - - - - - - - - -

EARTH [2 steps]
HATER (anagram)
WATER (letter change)

- - - - - - - - - -

WIND [7 steps]
KIND (letter change)
DINK (anagram)
DINE (letter change)
NIDE (anagram)
RIDE (letter change)
DIRE (anagram)

FIRE (letter change)
WIND [7 steps]
TIND (letter change)
DINT (anagram)
DINE (letter change)
NIDE (anagram)
RIDE (letter change)
DIRE (anagram)
FIRE (letter change)
- - - - - - - - - -

RIVER [7 steps]
RIVES (letter change)
VIERS (anagram)
TIERS (letter change)
RITES (anagram)
ROTES (letter change)
STORE (anagram)
SHORE (letter change)

RIVER [7 steps]
RIVES (letter change)
VIERS (anagram)
PIERS (letter change)
PRISE (anagram)
PROSE (letter change)
SPORE (anagram)
SHORE (letter change)

RIVER [7 steps]
RIFER (letter change)
FRIER (anagram)
FRIES (letter change)
FIRES (anagram)
HIRES (letter change)
SHIRE (anagram)
SHORE (letter change)

- - - - - - - - - -

LEAD [5 steps]
LOAD (letter change)
DALO (anagram)
DAGO (letter change)
GOAD (anagram)
GOLD (letter change)

= = = = = = = = = =
dalo - an ornamental herb of the Pacific islands with an edible root
dago - an offensive term for a person of Italian descent
dink - a soft return of a tennis ball so it falls abrupty crossing the net
gat - a gangster's pistol
nide - a nestful; a brood (a nide of pheasants)
prise - regard highly; make an uninvited inquiry; to move or force
rives - tears violently
tind - to kindle
tog - to provide with clothes or put clothes on
viers - plural of vier, one who competes

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)

Subject	Author	Date
re: Well here's what I got, no program used	Charlie	2007-11-12 11:04:54
Well here's what I got, no program used	Noxxx	2007-11-12 10:47:53
None of the programs got this one?	Noxxx	2007-11-12 10:34:16
re: Solution (software program used)	Penny	2007-10-26 19:58:16
Solution (software program used)	Penny	2007-10-26 19:20:24
re: computer solution (spoilers) -- all the results	Charlie	2007-10-26 14:18:47
computer solution (spoilers)	Charlie	2007-10-26 14:13:38

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