Puzzle #199 · Mar 1, 2026

Poople #199 Answer: ROVE to POOP

Poople #199 was the puzzle for Sunday, March 1, 2026. The starting word was ROVE, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 5 steps. We found 18 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 #199 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 3rd letter of ROVE, the V.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

The word after ROVE starts with R. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with P.

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

ROVE → ROLE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP

Shortest ladder Hard

5 steps

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

Letter changes, step by step
StepFromToChange
1ROVEROLE3rd letter V to L
2ROLEPOLE1st letter R to P
3POLEPOLL4th letter E to L
4POLLPOOL3rd letter L to O
5POOLPOOP4th letter L to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from ROVE

Our word list allows 18 shortest ladders from ROVE to POOP, each 5 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 18 paths
  1. ROVE → ROLE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP
  2. ROVE → ROLE → ROLL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  3. ROVE → COVE → COME → COMP → COOP → POOP
  4. ROVE → COVE → COME → COMP → POMP → POOP
  5. ROVE → COVE → COME → POME → POMP → POOP
  6. ROVE → DOVE → DOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  7. ROVE → HOVE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
  8. ROVE → HOVE → HOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  9. ROVE → ROLE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
  10. ROVE → ROLE → POLE → POME → POMP → POOP
  11. ROVE → ROPE → POPE → POME → POMP → POOP
  12. ROVE → ROSE → POSE → POME → POMP → POOP
  13. ROVE → MOVE → MOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  14. ROVE → ROLE → ROLF → ROOF → POOF → POOP
  15. ROVE → ROSE → POSE → POSH → POOH → POOP
  16. ROVE → ROUE → ROUP → COUP → COOP → POOP
  17. ROVE → ROUE → ROUP → ROMP → POMP → POOP
  18. ROVE → ROUE → ROUP → LOUP → LOOP → POOP

Words one letter away from ROVE

These 15 words differ from ROVE 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.

  • COVE common
  • DOVE common
  • HOVE common
  • LOVE common
  • MOVE common
  • RAVE common
  • RIVE rare
  • ROBE common
  • RODE common
  • ROLE common
  • ROPE common
  • ROSE common
  • ROTE common
  • ROUE rare
  • WOVE common

How hard was Poople #199?

By our count it rates Hard: fewest 5 steps. That makes #199 harder than 13% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #199?

Poople #199 takes 5 steps. We count the fewest steps from ROVE 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 #199?

The starting word for Poople #199 was ROVE, on Sunday, March 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 Hard. Hints for it are at the top of this page.

Can I replay Poople #199?

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