What is the first thing you do when you see a maze?
Most people immediately navigate the maze and try to see if they can solve it. The more complex the maze is, the faster they get frustrated due to repeatedly getting lost and not finding their way back.
If you find yourself in such situations and you want to get better at solving mazes, take a note of the following 5 strategies the next time you want to tackle a complex maze.
5 strategies to get better at solving mazes
1. Start Simple
Begin with easier mazes and gradually move to more complex ones. Because simple mazes are easier to complete, you’re more likely to build up confidence and develop basic strategies.
Simple mazes allow you to practice and develop basic maze-solving strategies, such as identifying patterns, following walls, and backtracking. These aspects come much more into play when you try to tackle the more complex mazes, so it’s best to start easy and develop these techniques gradually to master them fully.
Take your time to observe the entire layout and understand the basic structure without getting lost. This is easier to do the simpler the maze is, but the more you do it, the better you get at it.
Observing the maze layout improves your ability to quickly analyze and interpret more complicated mazes in the future.
By starting with simpler mazes, you can more easily recognize common patterns and structures that appear in many mazes. Recognizing these patterns early on will make it easier to spot them in more complex mazes later.
Another reason to start with simple mazes is to minimize the chances of frustration and discouragement. If you jump into very difficult mazes right away, you might become frustrated and give up, hindering your overall progress.
Success in these early stages can motivate you to tackle more complex mazes without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Understand the Layout
Spend a moment looking at the entire maze before you start.
Try to identify key areas of the maze, such as dead ends or large open spaces. If you see a dead end while analyzing the maze, you can make a mental note to not go that direction once you start navigating the maze.
Also look out for loops and traps, and see where straight paths lead to. Knowing where the latter lead to can give you a head start in finding the quickest path to the exit.
Once you analyzed the layout of the maze for a moment, try to plan your route through the maze. Here are some tips to plan your route through any maze:
- Scan from Entrance to Exit:
Quickly scan the maze from the entrance to the exit to get a sense of the overall path.
- Look for Landmarks:
Identify unique features or landmarks within the maze that can serve as reference points.
- Note Dead Ends and Loops:
Mark mentally or lightly pencil in potential dead ends and loops to avoid them later.
- Plan Multiple Routes:
Consider a few different routes in case your initial path is blocked or turns out to be a dead end.
3. Follow the Wall
One common technique is the “right-hand rule” (or left-hand rule), where you keep one hand on the wall and follow it. This won’t work for every maze (especially those with loops), but it’s a good starting point.
This “follow the wall” algorithm, also known as the wall-following technique, is a simple and intuitive method for navigating and solving mazes. The principle behind this strategy is to keep one hand in contact with a wall and continue following that wall until you reach the exit.
Typically, you choose either the right-hand rule or the left-hand rule. For the right-hand rule, you place your right hand on the wall and ensure it stays in contact as you move through the maze. This method helps you systematically explore the maze without getting lost or missing any paths.
While the “follow the wall” technique is effective for many mazes, it does have limitations. It works best in mazes where all walls are connected to the outer boundary, meaning there are no isolated sections. If the maze contains loops or separate enclosed areas not connected to the main structure, this method might not lead you to the exit.
Despite these limitations, the wall-following algorithm remains a widely used and straightforward approach, especially for beginners or for situations where no overhead view or map of the maze is available.
4. Trace Your Path
Use a pencil to lightly trace your path as you go. If you hit a dead end, it’s easier to backtrack.
Tracing your path through a maze involves marking your route as you navigate, typically with a pencil so you can erase your marks easily. As you enter the maze, begin by lightly drawing a line along the path you take.
Each time you reach a decision point or junction, you can make a small mark to indicate your choice of direction. If you encounter a dead end, you can easily backtrack along your marked path to the last decision point and try a different route. This method ensures you can keep track of the paths you’ve already explored, preventing you from repeatedly wandering down the same dead ends.
Path tracing significantly enhances your ability to solve the maze by providing a visual record of your progress. It minimizes the chances of getting lost and helps you systematically eliminate paths that don’t lead to the exit. By clearly marking the routes you’ve taken and identifying dead ends, you can more efficiently find the correct path through the maze.
Besides, it can also help in developing a mental map of the maze layout, which can be useful if you need to navigate the maze again later or tackle similar challenges in the future.
5. Work Backwards
Working backwards to solve a maze involves starting from the exit and tracing a path back to the entrance, rather than the conventional approach of starting from the beginning.
This method can often provide a fresh perspective and reveal routes that might not be immediately obvious from the starting point. By working backwards, you are forced to consider different paths and connections that you might overlook when moving forward. This approach can also help you identify any immediate dead ends or circular paths near the exit, which can be critical in finding a viable path through the maze.
Using the backwards approach can be particularly helpful in complex mazes where the direct path from the start is obscured by numerous twists and turns. Starting from the exit often simplifies the problem, as you can directly follow the viable paths back to the entrance without the confusion of multiple branching paths. This technique can also aid in better understanding the maze’s overall structure, making it easier to plan a route when you eventually navigate from the entrance.
Overall, working backwards can streamline the problem-solving process, reduce the time spent on fruitless paths, and increase the likelihood of efficiently finding the solution.
As a matter of fact, backwards working can even help you to solve business problems!
Like any skill, regular practice is key. Try to solve a maze or two every day to keep your skills sharp. In general, most mazes take up to a few minutes to complete (except for very large or highly complex mazes), so it’s the perfect pass time activity when visiting the bath room or while you’re waiting for your bus or train.
Once you get comfortable with solving mazes, always look for slightly more challenging ones to keep improving and honing your skills.
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