Can you turn the word LEAD into GOLD in five steps or less? You can change or replace one letter at a time only. The newly formed word must be a legit word in a recognized dictionary. Of course you cannot add or subtract letters, so all new words must have 4 letters. I am sure there are several solutions here.
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3 Answers
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Three steps/Four words:
LEAD -> LOAD -> GOAD -> GOLD
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2$\begingroup$ WOW great. Didnt know GOAD as a word. $\endgroup$– DrDCommented Mar 18, 2017 at 16:04
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$\begingroup$ I only remembered it because of a word play ladder I created a little bit ago haha $\endgroup$– n_plumCommented Mar 18, 2017 at 16:04
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4$\begingroup$ This is actually the optimal solution: it's impossible to do better. $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 18, 2017 at 16:08
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2$\begingroup$ I verified that this is the unique optimal solution - there's nothing else with three steps (in my word list) $\endgroup$– isaacgCommented Mar 20, 2017 at 6:43
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Five steps:
LEAD $\rightarrow$ LEND $\rightarrow$ FEND $\rightarrow$ FOND $\rightarrow$ FOLD $\rightarrow$ GOLD
Four steps:
LEAD $\rightarrow$ READ $\rightarrow$ ROAD $\rightarrow$ GOAD $\rightarrow$ GOLD
@n_palum's solution in three steps:
LEAD $\rightarrow$ LOAD $\rightarrow$ GOAD $\rightarrow$ GOLD
This is optimal because
three letters are different between LEAD and GOLD, and we can only change one letter at a time, so we need at least three steps.
answered Mar 18, 2017 at 16:00
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3$\begingroup$ Damn, I had that exact three steps solution in less than one minute from reading the question, but I'm 21 to 22 hours late >_> $\endgroup$– ZachielCommented Mar 19, 2017 at 13:28
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Here's one in four steps:
LEAD
MEAD
MELD
MOLD
GOLD
Here's another one in four:
LEAD
HEAD
HELD
HOLD
GOLD
answered Mar 18, 2017 at 16:00