This is a cops-and-robbers challenge, the robbers' thread is here
You can change the word code
into golf
by changing a letter at a time in four steps:
CODE
COLE
COLD
GOLD
GOLF
Today, we’ll be doing the same thing with programs.
Your challenge is to:
- choose a programming language
- write two programs / functions, one that outputs
code
and one that outputsgolf
- Such that you can repeatedly change a single character and get a program that outputs an English word until you get to the
golf
program. - Share the
code
program and the number of times you need to change a character, but not any of the intermediate programs or thegolf
program, which robbers will try to discover. - No two programs can output the same word.
For example, if the program abcde
outputs code
in a certain language, and the program abcdf
outputs potato
, then changing that e to an f is a valid step.
And if the program aqcdf
outputs golf
, then abcde
-> abcdf
-> aqcdf
is a valid chain in which you change a character twice.
You should only share the code
program and the number of programs not counting the code
program, the rest is for the robbers to guess.
Your solution is cracked when your entire chain of programs is found. It does not have to be your intended solution, only one with the same initial program and same or less length. (If someone finds a longer chain, it’s not a crack.)
If your answer is not cracked after a week, you may mark it as safe and reveal your solution.
Casing can be whatever you want - You can output Code
, CODE
, coDe
, etc. Output may contain a trailing newline.
The dictionary used is /dict/words
, which I've put in a gist for convenience.
Scoring
Your score is the number of programs not counting the code
or golf
ones, multiplied by the length in bytes of your code
program. The safe answer with the lowest score wins.
code
but are 1 character apart, and the final modification outputsgolf
\$\endgroup\$