Puzzle #40 · Sep 23, 2025

Poople #40 Answer: SPIN to POOP

Poople #40 was the puzzle for Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The starting word was SPIN, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 steps. We found 28 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 #40 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 2nd letter of SPIN, the P.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

The word after SPIN starts with S. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with C.

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHIP → CHOP → COOP → 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
1SPINSHIN2nd letter P to H
2SHINCHIN1st letter S to C
3CHINCHIP4th letter N to P
4CHIPCHOP3rd letter I to O
5CHOPCOOP2nd letter H to O
6COOPPOOP1st letter C to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from SPIN

Our word list allows 28 shortest ladders from SPIN to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 28 paths
  1. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHIP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  2. SPIN → SHIN → SHIP → CHIP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  3. SPIN → SHIN → SHIP → SHOP → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  4. SPIN → SHIN → SHIP → SHOP → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  5. SPIN → SHIN → SHIP → SLIP → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  6. SPIN → SKIN → SKIP → SLIP → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  7. SPIN → SPIT → SLIT → SLIP → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  8. SPIN → SPIT → SLIT → SLOT → PLOT → PLOP → POOP
  9. SPIN → SPIT → SLIT → SLOT → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  10. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SLOT → PLOT → PLOP → POOP
  11. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SLOT → SLOP → PLOP → POOP
  12. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SOOT → HOOT → HOOP → POOP
  13. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SOOT → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  14. SPIN → SPUN → SPUR → SOUR → POUR → POOR → POOP
  15. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → COIN → COON → COOP → POOP
  16. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHON → CHOP → COOP → POOP
  17. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SOOT → SOON → POON → POOP
  18. SPIN → SPIT → SPOT → SOOT → COOT → COOP → POOP
  19. SPIN → SAIN → LAIN → LOIN → LOON → LOOP → POOP
  20. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → COIN → COON → POON → POOP
  21. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHON → COON → COOP → POOP
  22. SPIN → SAIN → LAIN → LOIN → LOON → POON → POOP
  23. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHON → COON → POON → POOP
  24. SPIN → SHIN → CHIN → CHON → PHON → POON → POOP
  25. SPIN → SAIN → PAIN → PEIN → PEON → POON → POOP
  26. SPIN → SAIN → CAIN → COIN → COON → COOP → POOP
  27. SPIN → SAIN → SAWN → SOWN → SOON → POON → POOP
  28. SPIN → SAIN → CAIN → COIN → COON → POON → POOP

Words one letter away from SPIN

These 9 words differ from SPIN 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.

  • SAIN rare
  • SHIN common
  • SKIN common
  • SPAN common
  • SPIC rare
  • SPIK rare
  • SPIT common
  • SPIV rare
  • SPUN common

How hard was Poople #40?

By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #40 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #40?

Poople #40 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from SPIN 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 #40?

The starting word for Poople #40 was SPIN, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. 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 #40?

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