Puzzle #276 · May 17, 2026

Poople #276 Answer: REEF to POOP

Poople #276 was the puzzle for Sunday, May 17, 2026. The starting word was REEF, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 steps. We found 27 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 #276 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 4th letter of REEF, the F.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

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

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

REEF → REED → HEED → HOED → HOOD → HOOP → 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
1REEFREED4th letter F to D
2REEDHEED1st letter R to H
3HEEDHOED2nd letter E to O
4HOEDHOOD3rd letter E to O
5HOODHOOP4th letter D to P
6HOOPPOOP1st letter H to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from REEF

Our word list allows 27 shortest ladders from REEF to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 27 paths
  1. REEF → REED → HEED → HOED → HOOD → HOOP → POOP
  2. REEF → REED → HEED → HOED → HOOD → POOD → POOP
  3. REEF → REEK → PEEK → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  4. REEF → REEL → PEEL → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  5. REEF → BEEF → BEEN → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  6. REEF → BEEF → BEEP → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  7. REEF → REED → FEED → FEOD → FOOD → POOD → POOP
  8. REEF → REED → READ → ROAD → ROOD → POOD → POOP
  9. REEF → REED → REND → PEND → POND → POOD → POOP
  10. REEF → REED → PEED → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  11. REEF → REED → PEED → PLED → PLOD → PLOP → POOP
  12. REEF → REEK → PEEK → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  13. REEF → REEL → PEEL → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  14. REEF → KEEF → KEEP → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  15. REEF → REES → ROES → ROMS → ROMP → POMP → POOP
  16. REEF → REED → PEED → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  17. REEF → REED → PEED → PEND → POND → POOD → POOP
  18. REEF → REED → PEED → PLED → PLOD → POOD → POOP
  19. REEF → KEEF → KEEN → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  20. REEF → REES → GEES → GOES → GOOS → GOOP → POOP
  21. REEF → REES → ROES → GOES → GOOS → GOOP → POOP
  22. REEF → REES → ROES → ROMS → POMS → POMP → POOP
  23. REEF → REES → PEES → PEEP → PREP → PROP → POOP
  24. REEF → REES → REMS → ROMS → ROMP → POMP → POOP
  25. REEF → REIF → REIN → PEIN → PEON → POON → POOP
  26. REEF → REES → PEES → PEEN → PEON → POON → POOP
  27. REEF → REES → REMS → ROMS → POMS → POMP → POOP

Words one letter away from REEF

These 7 words differ from REEF 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.

  • BEEF common
  • KEEF rare
  • REED common
  • REEK common
  • REEL common
  • REES rare
  • REIF rare

How hard was Poople #276?

By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #276 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #276?

Poople #276 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from REEF 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 #276?

The starting word for Poople #276 was REEF, on Sunday, May 17, 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 #276?

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