Puzzle #400 · Sep 18, 2026

Poople #400 Answer: CARE to POOP

Poople #400 was the puzzle for Friday, September 18, 2026. The starting word was CARE, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 5 steps. We found 25 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 #400 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 2nd letter of CARE, the A.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

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

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

CARE → CORE → CORK → COOK → COOP → 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
1CARECORE2nd letter A to O
2CORECORK4th letter E to K
3CORKCOOK3rd letter R to O
4COOKCOOP4th letter K to P
5COOPPOOP1st letter C to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from CARE

Our word list allows 25 shortest ladders from CARE to POOP, each 5 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 25 paths
  1. CARE → CORE → CORK → COOK → COOP → POOP
  2. CARE → CAME → CAMP → COMP → COOP → POOP
  3. CARE → CAME → CAMP → COMP → POMP → POOP
  4. CARE → CAME → COME → COMP → COOP → POOP
  5. CARE → CAME → COME → COMP → POMP → POOP
  6. CARE → CAME → COME → POME → POMP → POOP
  7. CARE → CARP → CAMP → COMP → COOP → POOP
  8. CARE → CARP → CAMP → COMP → POMP → POOP
  9. CARE → CORE → COME → COMP → COOP → POOP
  10. CARE → CORE → COME → COMP → POMP → POOP
  11. CARE → CORE → COME → POME → POMP → POOP
  12. CARE → CORE → CORN → COON → COOP → POOP
  13. CARE → CORE → PORE → POME → POMP → POOP
  14. CARE → PARE → PORE → POME → POMP → POOP
  15. CARE → CARK → CORK → COOK → COOP → POOP
  16. CARE → CORE → CORN → COON → POON → POOP
  17. CARE → CORE → CORN → PORN → POON → POOP
  18. CARE → CORE → GORE → GORP → GOOP → POOP
  19. CARE → CORE → PORE → PORN → POON → POOP
  20. CARE → CORE → CORF → COOF → COOP → POOP
  21. CARE → PARE → PORE → PORN → POON → POOP
  22. CARE → CARN → CORN → COON → COOP → POOP
  23. CARE → CORE → CORF → COOF → POOF → POOP
  24. CARE → CARN → CORN → COON → POON → POOP
  25. CARE → CARN → CORN → PORN → POON → POOP

Words one letter away from CARE

These 33 words differ from CARE 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.

  • BARE common
  • CADE rare
  • CAFE common
  • CAGE common
  • CAKE common
  • CAME common
  • CANE common
  • CAPE common
  • CARB rare
  • CARD common
  • CARK rare
  • CARL rare
  • CARN rare
  • CARP common
  • CARR rare
  • CARS common
  • CART common
  • CASE common
  • CATE rare
  • CAVE common
  • CERE rare
  • CIRE rare
  • CORE common
  • CURE common
  • DARE common
  • FARE common
  • HARE common
  • MARE common
  • PARE common
  • RARE common
  • TARE rare
  • WARE rare
  • YARE rare

How hard was Poople #400?

By our count it rates Hard: fewest 5 steps. That makes #400 harder than 13% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #400?

Poople #400 takes 5 steps. We count the fewest steps from CARE 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 #400?

The starting word for Poople #400 was CARE, on Friday, September 18, 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 #400?

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