Now that the word LEAD was turned into GOLD in only three steps (kudos n_palum) can you turn the word LEAD into IRON changing one letter at a time creating new legit 4 letter words (from Dictionary) in 5 steps or less? Again I am sure there are more than a few answers. And can you do it without using a Proper Noun or name? ( I could not).
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3$\begingroup$ PB - PI - IE - FE done! $\endgroup$– AlexMar 22, 2017 at 19:12
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$\begingroup$ Four letter words Alex $\endgroup$– DrDMar 22, 2017 at 20:50
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$\begingroup$ Has a correct answer been given? If so, please don't forget to $\color{green}{\checkmark \small\text{Accept}}$ it :) $\endgroup$– Rubio ♦Apr 10, 2017 at 16:49
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4 Answers
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If you want to use proper nouns, you could:
LEAD
LEAN
LEON
IEON
IRON
answered Mar 19, 2017 at 2:22
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$\begingroup$ IEON if that is indeed there then 4 steps are possible. $\endgroup$– DrDMar 19, 2017 at 15:37
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$\begingroup$ According to the internet, it is a spelling of the name that has shown up a fair number of times throughout history. $\endgroup$ Mar 19, 2017 at 16:25
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The best I can do:
LEAD
LEAN
BEAN
BRAN
IRAN
IRON
answered Mar 18, 2017 at 23:22
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Starting with this list of 4 letter words
I've found the following three words that are one away from IRON,
Unfortunately, the first one only leads back to iron or the 2nd word.
The best I've figured using the 2nd word has 7 steps, and uses some uncommon words.
However, using the 3rd word, I've found the following 5 steps, which appears to be optimal.
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$\begingroup$ I was thinking about 'tron' but online it said it's debatable whether tron is a word... $\endgroup$ Mar 19, 2017 at 1:07
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$\begingroup$ That's why I included links to the definitions for all of the words. $\endgroup$– HerbMar 19, 2017 at 1:09
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$\begingroup$ Looks like in your third block, you're changing two letters between the 4th and 5th words. $\endgroup$ Mar 19, 2017 at 4:52
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$\begingroup$ @TannerSwett good catch, I changed it to my other list, using less common words. $\endgroup$– HerbMar 19, 2017 at 5:05
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The most optimal solution that I have been able to find is this:
LEAD -> TEAD -> TRAD -> TROD -> TRON -> IRON
5 steps is the minimal you can do due to the disparity in the letters. Lead is not as close to iron as it is to gold. I think words like Tron or Trad are debatable as to whether or not they constitute as a word. In scrabble they would count but in dictionary means it's up in the air.
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$\begingroup$ That's one of the possibilities I had as well, but I went with more common words. $\endgroup$– HerbMar 19, 2017 at 3:53
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$\begingroup$ @HerbWolfe If he wants the optimal solution as his answer, that would be it, there's no lower step possibility, it's just less common as you said $\endgroup$– n_plumMar 19, 2017 at 4:00