Solution

The shortest possible solution uses 22 moves, where sliding one letter any distance counts as one move.

Start:

    

Move 1: slide Y from row 2 to row 1:

    

Move 2: slide E from row 2 to row 1:

    

Move 3: slide A from row 2 to row 1:

    

Move 4: slide R from row 2 to row 1:

    

Moves 5-8: slide HAPP from row 4 to row 2 (note that they end up in reverse order):

    

Moves 9-11: slide NEW from row 3 to row 4:

    

Moves 12-14: slide RAE from row 1 to row 3 (but leave Y behind):

    

Moves 15-18: slide PPAH from row 2 to row 1:

    

Moves 19-21: slide WEN from row 4 to row 2:

    

Move 22: slide Y from row 4 to row 3:

    

Puzzle solved! Note that we have swapped Ys between HAPPY and YEAR.

Back to 2007 Christmas Puzzle