Puzzle #171 · Feb 1, 2026

Poople #171 Answer: WAIT to POOP

Poople #171 was the puzzle for Sunday, February 1, 2026. The starting word was WAIT, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 steps. We found 30 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 #171 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 4th letter of WAIT, the T.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

The word after WAIT starts with W. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with F.

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

WAIT → WAIL → FAIL → FOIL → FOOL → POOL → POOP

Shortest ladder Expert

6 steps

Step count computed with our word list (ENABLE + SCOWL); the official game uses its own list.

Letter changes, step by step
StepFromToChange
1WAITWAIL4th letter T to L
2WAILFAIL1st letter W to F
3FAILFOIL2nd letter A to O
4FOILFOOL3rd letter I to O
5FOOLPOOL1st letter F to P
6POOLPOOP4th letter L to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from WAIT

Our word list allows 30 shortest ladders from WAIT to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 30 paths
  1. WAIT → WAIL → FAIL → FOIL → FOOL → POOL → POOP
  2. WAIT → WAIL → PAIL → PALL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  3. WAIT → WAIL → TAIL → TOIL → TOOL → POOL → POOP
  4. WAIT → WAIL → WALL → PALL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  5. WAIT → WART → WARD → WORD → WOOD → POOD → POOP
  6. WAIT → WAIN → LAIN → LOIN → LOON → LOOP → POOP
  7. WAIT → WAST → HAST → HOST → HOOT → HOOP → POOP
  8. WAIT → WAST → LAST → LOST → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  9. WAIT → WHIT → WHIP → CHIP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  10. WAIT → WAIL → MAIL → MOIL → MOOL → POOL → POOP
  11. WAIT → WART → PART → PORT → PORN → POON → POOP
  12. WAIT → WART → WARN → WORN → PORN → POON → POOP
  13. WAIT → WART → WORT → WORD → WOOD → POOD → POOP
  14. WAIT → WAIN → LAIN → LOIN → LOON → POON → POOP
  15. WAIT → WAST → CAST → COST → COOT → COOP → POOP
  16. WAIT → WAST → WOST → HOST → HOOT → HOOP → POOP
  17. WAIT → WAST → WOST → LOST → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  18. WAIT → WHIT → WHIP → WHOP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  19. WAIT → WHIT → CHIT → CHIP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  20. WAIT → WART → WORT → PORT → PORN → POON → POOP
  21. WAIT → WART → WORT → WORN → PORN → POON → POOP
  22. WAIT → WAIN → PAIN → PEIN → PEON → POON → POOP
  23. WAIT → WAIN → WARN → WORN → PORN → POON → POOP
  24. WAIT → WAIN → CAIN → COIN → COON → COOP → POOP
  25. WAIT → WAST → PAST → POST → POSH → POOH → POOP
  26. WAIT → WAST → WOST → COST → COOT → COOP → POOP
  27. WAIT → WAIN → CAIN → COIN → COON → POON → POOP
  28. WAIT → WAST → PAST → PASH → POSH → POOH → POOP
  29. WAIT → WAST → WASH → PASH → POSH → POOH → POOP
  30. WAIT → WAST → WOST → POST → POSH → POOH → POOP

Words one letter away from WAIT

These 13 words differ from WAIT 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.

  • BAIT common
  • GAIT common
  • WAFT common
  • WAIF common
  • WAIL common
  • WAIN rare
  • WAIR rare
  • WANT common
  • WART common
  • WAST rare
  • WATT common
  • WHIT rare
  • WRIT common

How hard was Poople #171?

By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #171 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #171?

Poople #171 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from WAIT 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 #171?

The starting word for Poople #171 was WAIT, on Sunday, February 1, 2026. 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 Expert. Hints for it are at the top of this page.

Can I replay Poople #171?

Yes. Press Play this puzzle on this page and the board loads with WAIT 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.