A small daily puzzle about catching Otto.
Otto is a clever little guy in jeans and a white T-shirt. Every time you take a step, he takes one too. Chasing him head-on never works. You have to think ahead and trap him.
- Move one square up, down, left or right. You cannot step through a wall.
- Otto answers every move. He always picks the escape that keeps him free the longest. Slip up and he can run circles around the walls forever. When that happens, restart.
- Catch him by stepping onto his square. Your score is your time and your moves.
Is there always a solution? Yes. A solver checks every board and finds the shortest possible catch. That number is Perfect.
Is Otto random? No. Everyone plays the same Otto, so times are fair to compare.
When is the next board? At midnight in your time zone. Monday is easiest and the boards get harder through the week.
Why are weekends so hard? Saturday and Sunday boards have few walls, and the first three moves are a trap. Each has one right answer. Get one wrong and Otto slips away.