Puzzle #120 · Dec 12, 2025
Poople #120 Answer: HATE to POOP
Poople #120 was the puzzle for Friday, December 12, 2025. The starting word was HATE, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 5 steps. We found 2 different shortest paths with our word list. Open the hints below one at a time if you want a nudge, or reveal the full ladder at the end.
Poople #120 hints
Hint 1: Which letter changes first
The first move changes the 3rd letter of HATE, the T.
Hint 2: The next word starts with …
The word after HATE starts with H. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with H.
Hint 3: Show me the full ladder
HATE → HALE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
5 steps
Step count computed with our word list (ENABLE + SCOWL); the official game uses its own list.
HOLP is in our word list but marked rare, so the official game may not accept it.
| Step | From | To | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HATE | HALE | 3rd letter T to L |
| 2 | HALE | HOLE | 2nd letter A to O |
| 3 | HOLE | HOLP | 4th letter E to P |
| 4 | HOLP | HOOP | 3rd letter L to O |
| 5 | HOOP | POOP | 1st letter H to P |
Play this puzzle
All shortest paths from HATE
Our word list allows 2 shortest ladders from HATE to POOP, each 5 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.
Show all 2 paths
- HATE → HALE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
- HATE → HAME → HOME → POME → POMP → POOP
Words one letter away from HATE
These 21 words differ from HATE in one letter. Common words are in SCOWL size 35; rare words are only in the ENABLE list, and the official game is more likely to reject them.
- BATE rare
- CATE rare
- DATE common
- FATE common
- GATE common
- HADE rare
- HAKE rare
- HALE common
- HAME rare
- HARE common
- HATH common
- HATS common
- HAVE common
- HAZE common
- HYTE rare
- LATE common
- MATE common
- PATE common
- RATE common
- SATE rare
- TATE rare
How hard was Poople #120?
By our count it rates Hard: fewest 5 steps. That makes #120 harder than 13% of the 420 puzzles so far.
More Poople puzzles
- Previous: #119 WITH (Dec 11, 2025)
- Next: #121 LENT (Dec 13, 2025)
- Same difficulty: #116 JETS, #118 HART, #119 WITH
- Every puzzle: Poople archive · Today: today's answer · Random practice: Poople Unlimited
How many steps is Poople #120?
Poople #120 takes 5 steps. We count the fewest steps from HATE to POOP with a breadth-first search over our four-letter word list (ENABLE + SCOWL), and the official game uses its own word list, so its count can differ from ours.
What was the starting word for Poople #120?
The starting word for Poople #120 was HATE, on Friday, December 12, 2025. Every Poople puzzle ends at POOP, so the start word is the only thing that changes from day to day. With our word list this one rates Hard. Hints for it are at the top of this page.
Can I replay Poople #120?
Yes. Press Play this puzzle on this page and the board loads with HATE as the start word, with Undo, Restart and three levels of hints. You can also play unlimited random puzzles on the home page, or pick any other past puzzle from the archive.