(no subject)

[plonq]

The Mensa calendar is at it again today.  The last time they had one of these word ladder problems, I got annoyed with their answer because they inserted a needless letter swap in the middle.  This time around they did not do that, but when I solved the puzzle, I accidentally solved it in six steps instead of seven.

WORD LADDER

Make your way from BANK to LOAN in only seven steps, changing one letter at a time to make a good English word at each step.

BANK
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
LOAN


ANSWER: BANK, BANE, LANE, LONE, LORE, LORD, LOAD, LOAN (There may be other ways.)


I toyed with the words for a bit, and then the answer simply fell into place as quickly as I typed out the words.


BANK,BAND,LAND,LAID,LAIN,LOIN,LOAN

Or a better solution:

BANK,BAND,BEND,LEND,LEAD,LEAN,LOAN <-- I like this one better, because you pass by LEND to get your LOAN.



I'm not entirely satisfied with my own answer, and I can't shake the feeling that with a bit more thought I could solve this in 5 steps.  I'll post an update here if I have enough free time this morning to contemplate on this further.

[Edit: Five steps would be a snap if we could just the word LOND into the dictionary.]

[Edit the Second: I did it!]


BANK,BONK,BOOK,BOON,LOON,LOAN

Comments

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

I like your second one, 'cos you start at the BANK trying to get some money for your BAND, you have to BEND over backwards to qualify, tell them how much you want them to LEND you, they LEAD you through the process, and then your finances are really LEAN while you pay back the LOAN.

[plonq.livejournal.com]

They're always more fun when they tell a story on the way through.

[tzisorey.livejournal.com]

Considering the last time I went for a loan, I'm suprised that the word PAIN wasn't in there ;)

[neowolf2.livejournal.com]

Their solution can be improved: BANK, BARK, LARK, LARD, LORD, LOAD, LOAN.