9
$\begingroup$

The sisters have learned a few lessons from their recent debut. They are now ruthlessly efficient outfit-swapping machines. (You know, sort of like Valley Girl Terminators...)

They can now sustain swapping chains of 21 or more outfit pairs. In some cases, the sisters have completely exchanged outfits by the end.

No sister may wear an outfit that she has previously worn.

See if you can solve this one:

Take sisters EAR & TASTES through at least 21 more outfits by lending/borrowing one "accessory" (letter) at a time.


You will be revered eternally if you can end with the sisters' outfits completely exchanged. (I.e., ending with TASTES & EAR.) But this is not a requirement.

I am accepting TASER as a brand name which has come into common usage. Otherwise, all words are well-known. No need to reach for the dictionary.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
4
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Is that (unique outfit) pairs, or unique (outfit pairs)? That is, do you still require that no sister wear the same outfit twice? $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Apr 26, 2019 at 17:18
  • $\begingroup$ @GarethMcCaughan — Same rules as before. No sister may wear an outfit that she has previously worn. (However, it is possible that sister A might wear something that sister B wore previously, and sister B might wear something that sister A wore previously.) $\endgroup$
    – SlowMagic
    Apr 26, 2019 at 17:50
  • $\begingroup$ The parenthetical bit was clear enough from the suggestion of ending with TASTES/EAR :-). $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Apr 26, 2019 at 17:59
  • $\begingroup$ Drat...there are so many promising dead ends!! $\endgroup$
    – Brandon_J
    Apr 26, 2019 at 18:12

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10
$\begingroup$

21 changes ending with reversal:

ear tastes 0
sear taste 1
sea taster 2
seat taser 3
eat tasers 4
at teasers 5
art teases 6
tart eases 7
tarts ease 8
tars tease 9
tears teas 10
teas tears 11
tease tars 12
ease tarts 13
eases tart 14
teases art 15
teasers at 16
tasers eat 17
taser seat 18
taster sea 19
taste sear 20
tastes ear 21

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
12
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Well, then, I guess you will be revered eternally :). Nice solve; very fast, accurate etc. $\endgroup$
    – Brandon_J
    Apr 26, 2019 at 18:44
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Maybe not as 'people who tease,' but it's being used a lot in entertainment for the types of trailer that come out before the 'true' full-length trailer. $\endgroup$
    – TwoBitOperation
    Apr 26, 2019 at 18:56
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Also, brain “teasers,” which this very site has a lot of $\endgroup$
    – HTM
    Apr 26, 2019 at 18:58
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ 11-20 is just a reflection of 1-10, which seems to violate at least the spirit of 21 or more unique outfit pairs. $\endgroup$
    – asgallant
    Apr 26, 2019 at 20:51
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Ha, completely failed to think of movie teasers and brain teasers. Yeah, I retract my lack of enthusiasm for that word. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Apr 26, 2019 at 21:34

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.