Puzzle #49 · Oct 2, 2025
Poople #49 Answer: SALE to POOP
Poople #49 was the puzzle for Thursday, October 2, 2025. The starting word was SALE, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 5 steps. We found 10 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 #49 hints
Hint 1: Which letter changes first
The first move changes the 1st letter of SALE, the S.
Hint 2: The next word starts with …
The word after SALE starts with P. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with P.
Hint 3: Show me the full ladder
SALE → PALE → PALL → POLL → POOL → POOP
5 steps
Step count computed with our word list (ENABLE + SCOWL); the official game uses its own list.
| Step | From | To | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SALE | PALE | 1st letter S to P |
| 2 | PALE | PALL | 4th letter E to L |
| 3 | PALL | POLL | 2nd letter A to O |
| 4 | POLL | POOL | 3rd letter L to O |
| 5 | POOL | POOP | 4th letter L to P |
Play this puzzle
All shortest paths from SALE
Our word list allows 10 shortest ladders from SALE to POOP, each 5 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.
Show all 10 paths
- SALE → PALE → PALL → POLL → POOL → POOP
- SALE → PALE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP
- SALE → SOLE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP
- SALE → HALE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
- SALE → PALE → POLE → POME → POMP → POOP
- SALE → SAME → SOME → POME → POMP → POOP
- SALE → SOLE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
- SALE → SOLE → POLE → POME → POMP → POOP
- SALE → SOLE → SOME → POME → POMP → POOP
- SALE → SALL → PALL → POLL → POOL → POOP
Words one letter away from SALE
These 25 words differ from SALE 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.
- BALE common
- DALE rare
- GALE common
- HALE common
- KALE rare
- MALE common
- PALE common
- RALE rare
- SABE rare
- SADE rare
- SAFE common
- SAGE common
- SAKE common
- SALL rare
- SALP rare
- SALS rare
- SALT common
- SAME common
- SANE common
- SATE rare
- SAVE common
- SOLE common
- TALE common
- VALE rare
- WALE rare
How hard was Poople #49?
By our count it rates Hard: fewest 5 steps. That makes #49 harder than 13% of the 420 puzzles so far.
More Poople puzzles
- Previous: #48 ARCS (Oct 1, 2025)
- Next: #50 AIRS (Oct 3, 2025)
- Same difficulty: #45 DUAL, #46 AIRY, #47 FATS
- Every puzzle: Poople archive · Today: today's answer · Random practice: Poople Unlimited
How many steps is Poople #49?
Poople #49 takes 5 steps. We count the fewest steps from SALE 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 #49?
The starting word for Poople #49 was SALE, on Thursday, October 2, 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 Hard. Hints for it are at the top of this page.
Can I replay Poople #49?
Yes. Press Play this puzzle on this page and the board loads with SALE 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.