How to play Catch Otto.
Catch Otto is a daily logic puzzle on an 8×8 board. You move one square at a time. Otto moves after you, every time, and he always picks his best escape.
The rules
- Move one square up, down, left or right. Use the arrow buttons, swipe, tap a square next to you, or use the arrow keys.
- Walls run between some squares. Neither of you can step through them.
- Otto answers every move. He steps one square to wherever keeps him free the longest. When two escapes are equally good he picks the square farthest from you.
- Catch him by stepping onto his square.
Moves, time and Perfect
Every board has a number called Perfect: the fewest moves that catch Otto however well he runs. A solver checks every board before it goes live, so Perfect is always possible.
Catch Otto in Perfect moves for three stars. Within three extra moves earns two stars. Anything more is one star.
There is no undo. You can restart as often as you like, but the clock keeps running, and every restart counts as a new try in your result.
When Otto gets away
Make a careless step and Otto can run circles around the walls forever. The game never stops you. If he keeps slipping away, that is your hint to restart and think again.
The week
- Monday is the easiest board, around 11 to 15 moves with a few tricky moments.
- Tuesday to Friday get longer and harder. Every board has several trap moves, where only one choice keeps the perfect catch alive.
- Saturday and Sunday are expert boards. They have few walls, and the first three moves are a trap: each has one right answer. Get one wrong and Otto slips away.
Tips
- Do not chase Otto head-on. He will always step away.
- Look for dead ends and corners made by walls, and work out how to push him into one.
- Walls are your friends. A long wall lets you cut off half of the board.
- On weekends, stop before the first move. Count where Otto can go after each of your options.