Occasional Puzzles - ✏ Drawing the Line
Today’s Puzzle - ✏ Drawing the Line
Can you connect all nine dots in the grid below by drawing exactly four straight lines, without lifting your pen from the paper (or finger from the mouse (or stylus from the tablet (you know what we mean!))) while drawing?
Feeling stuck? Scroll down to the bottom of the puzzle for a hint.
Source: puzzls.com
Source: Giphy
Previous Puzzle - 🍞 Challah if you knead a puzzle
Puzzle
Today's puzzle is a word ladder. You start with a pair of words. Take one word, and change a single letter to make another word. Your goal is to keep making one-letter changes until you arrive at the second word. For example, if the words were CAT and DOG, you might do the following:
CAT ▶ COT ▶ DOT ▶ DOG
Remember, each intermediate step must also be a word!
So, using the word ladder rules, can you take some FLOUR and bake it into a loaf of BREAD?
Source: Gyles Brandreth's Classic Puzzles
Solution [SPOILER]
FLOUR ▶ FLOOR ▶ FLOOD ▶ BLOOD ▶ BROOD ▶ BROAD ▶ BREAD
This is the fastest solution we've found (i.e., the one with the fewest number of intermediate words). It's also the answer given in Classic Puzzles, from which this puzzle is sourced.
There are undoubtedly other solutions, though! In fact, reader Lisa sent us the following:
FLOUR ▶ FLOUT ▶ FLOAT ▶ BLOAT ▶ BLEAT ▶ BLEAK ▶ BREAK ▶ BREAD
Did you find another solution to this puzzle? Let us know by replying to this email!
Hint for Today’s Puzzle
Need a hint? Highlight in the space below.