What changes at every step
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Step 1VOTE -> COTE
Tile 1 changes V to C; the move is sideways by letter shape. COTE has 17 legal neighbors, 2 shortest continuations, and 4 moves remaining. Other legal exits from VOTE include TOTE, VOLE, DOTE, NOTE.
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Step 2COTE -> COME
Tile 3 changes T to M; the move is sideways by letter shape. COME has 17 legal neighbors, 2 shortest continuations, and 3 moves remaining. Other legal exits from COTE include COTS, CODE, CORE, COLE.
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Step 3COME -> COMP
Tile 4 changes E to P; the move is closer by letter shape. COMP has 8 legal neighbors, 2 shortest continuations, and 2 moves remaining. Other legal exits from COME include POME, HOME, SOME, DOME.
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Step 4COMP -> COOP
Tile 3 changes M to O; the move is closer by letter shape. COOP has 14 legal neighbors, 1 shortest continuation, and 1 move remaining. Other legal exits from COMP include POMP, COUP, ROMP, CAMP.
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Step 5COOP -> POOP
Tile 1 changes C to P; the move is closer by letter shape. POOP has 11 legal neighbors, target reached, and 0 moves remaining. Other legal exits from COOP include LOOP, HOOP, BOOP, GOOP.