Puzzle #254 · Apr 25, 2026
Poople #254 Answer: NERD to POOP
Poople #254 was the puzzle for Saturday, April 25, 2026. The starting word was NERD, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 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 #254 hints
Hint 1: Which letter changes first
The first move changes the 1st letter of NERD, the N.
Hint 2: The next word starts with …
The word after NERD starts with H. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with H.
Hint 3: Show me the full ladder
NERD → HERD → HEED → HOED → HOOD → HOOP → POOP
6 steps
Step count computed with our word list (ENABLE + SCOWL); the official game uses its own list.
| Step | From | To | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NERD | HERD | 1st letter N to H |
| 2 | HERD | HEED | 3rd letter R to E |
| 3 | HEED | HOED | 2nd letter E to O |
| 4 | HOED | HOOD | 3rd letter E to O |
| 5 | HOOD | HOOP | 4th letter D to P |
| 6 | HOOP | POOP | 1st letter H to P |
Play this puzzle
All shortest paths from NERD
Our word list allows 18 shortest ladders from NERD to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.
Show all 18 paths
- NERD → HERD → HEED → HOED → HOOD → HOOP → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HELD → HOLD → HOOD → HOOP → POOP
- NERD → NEED → HEED → HOED → HOOD → HOOP → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HEED → HOED → HOOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HELD → HELP → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HELD → HOLD → HOOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HELD → HOLD → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
- NERD → NEED → HEED → HOED → HOOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → NEED → FEED → FEOD → FOOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → NEED → NEEP → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
- NERD → NEED → PEED → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
- NERD → NEED → PEED → PLED → PLOD → PLOP → POOP
- NERD → NARD → WARD → WORD → WOOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → HERD → HERN → HORN → PORN → POON → POOP
- NERD → NEED → PEED → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
- NERD → NEED → PEED → PEND → POND → POOD → POOP
- NERD → NEED → PEED → PLED → PLOD → POOD → POOP
- NERD → NARD → FARD → FORD → FOOD → POOD → POOP
Words one letter away from NERD
These 4 words differ from NERD 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.
- HERD common
- NARD rare
- NEED common
- NURD rare
How hard was Poople #254?
By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #254 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.
More Poople puzzles
- Previous: #253 SAYS (Apr 24, 2026)
- Next: #255 CRIB (Apr 26, 2026)
- Same difficulty: #226 HAZY, #240 TIDY, #246 ALES
- Every puzzle: Poople archive · Today: today's answer · Random practice: Poople Unlimited
How many steps is Poople #254?
Poople #254 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from NERD 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 #254?
The starting word for Poople #254 was NERD, on Saturday, April 25, 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 #254?
Yes. Press Play this puzzle on this page and the board loads with NERD 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.