CATCH A POINT

A puzzle game in which you have to chase a blue dot (circle) that is trying to escape from the playing field. At your disposal are yellow dots (circles) of the same size as the runaway point. The field has a cellular structure: gray circles indicate possible placemark locations. For each turn, the fugitive can only jump to the adjacent gray circle in any direction. Yellow dots block the movement of the blue one.

The player's task is to place the yellow dots so as to completely block the movement of the blue one in any direction. As soon as the blue dot can't jump anywhere in the next turn, that is, it will be completely immobilized and blocked inside the yellow ring, the player will be declared the winner. It is desirable to do this in the minimum number of moves.

Let's talk a little about tactics. Since this game is not about skill, but about logic, it is pointless to try to catch a blue dot by putting yellow ones next to it. It will eventually elude you anyway. It is correct to set up barriers at some distance from the fugitive in the direction (or not) its movements. Thus, if you put the yellow ones three or four steps away from the blue one, you will have time to close the road to it and exclude a breakthrough.

That is, to catch a point, you should not chase it — think and count three or four moves ahead! Remember, you will only win if the blue dot can't move.