Puzzle #397 · Sep 15, 2026

Poople #397 Answer: RISK to POOP

Poople #397 was the puzzle for Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The starting word was RISK, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 steps. We found 22 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 #397 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 4th letter of RISK, the K.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

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

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

RISK → RISE → ROSE → POSE → POME → POMP → POOP

Shortest ladder Expert

6 steps

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

POME is in our word list but marked rare, so the official game may not accept it.

Letter changes, step by step
StepFromToChange
1RISKRISE4th letter K to E
2RISEROSE2nd letter I to O
3ROSEPOSE1st letter R to P
4POSEPOME3rd letter S to M
5POMEPOMP4th letter E to P
6POMPPOOP3rd letter M to O
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from RISK

Our word list allows 22 shortest ladders from RISK to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 22 paths
  1. RISK → RISE → ROSE → POSE → POME → POMP → POOP
  2. RISK → RICK → HICK → HOCK → HOOK → HOOP → POOP
  3. RISK → RICK → LICK → LOCK → LOOK → LOOP → POOP
  4. RISK → RICK → ROCK → COCK → COOK → COOP → POOP
  5. RISK → RICK → ROCK → HOCK → HOOK → HOOP → POOP
  6. RISK → RICK → ROCK → LOCK → LOOK → LOOP → POOP
  7. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → COOK → COOP → POOP
  8. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → HOOK → HOOP → POOP
  9. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → LOOK → LOOP → POOP
  10. RISK → RISE → ROSE → POSE → POSH → POOH → POOP
  11. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → BOOR → POOR → POOP
  12. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → COOK → COOP → POOP
  13. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → HOOK → HOOP → POOP
  14. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → LOOK → LOOP → POOP
  15. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → ROOF → POOF → POOP
  16. RISK → DISK → DISH → PISH → POSH → POOH → POOP
  17. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → BOON → POON → POOP
  18. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → GOOK → GOOP → POOP
  19. RISK → RICK → ROCK → ROOK → ROOD → POOD → POOP
  20. RISK → RUSK → RUSH → PUSH → POSH → POOH → POOP
  21. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOOK → GOOK → GOOP → POOP
  22. RISK → BISK → BOSK → BOSH → POSH → POOH → POOP

Words one letter away from RISK

These 6 words differ from RISK 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.

  • BISK rare
  • DISK common
  • RICK rare
  • RINK common
  • RISE common
  • RUSK rare

How hard was Poople #397?

By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #397 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #397?

Poople #397 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from RISK 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 #397?

The starting word for Poople #397 was RISK, on Tuesday, September 15, 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 #397?

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