Lantern Trail · Field notes

Three ways to untangle a difficult trail

When a trail feels tangled, you rarely need to guess every move. Study what the board cannot do.

1. Count the exits

A stone in the middle of your path needs an entrance and an exit. If a stone only has two neighboring stones available, those connections may be necessary. Start by examining corners and narrow spaces rather than the open center.

2. Keep the gate for last

The gate cannot be used as a shortcut. Before approaching it, look for any unlit area that you would leave behind. If your next move separates the remaining stones into disconnected groups, undo it and try another route.

3. Experiment in small steps

Try two or three moves, then pause. Use Undo to return to your last useful decision. Restart is helpful when the opening move itself caused the problem. A hint gives a valid beginning, but it may not be the only valid solution.

A useful check

Imagine drawing your planned line through the unlit stones before you move. Can you get into and back out of each pocket? Can the final stone before the gate still be reached? Those two questions catch many dead ends.