Problem

Source: Iranian TST 2022 problem 11

Tags: combinatorics, grid, cells



Consider a table with $n$ rows and $2n$ columns. we put some blocks in some of the cells. After putting blocks in the table we put a robot on a cell and it starts moving in one of the directions right, left, down or up. It can change the direction only when it reaches a block or border. Find the smallest number $m$ such that we can put $m$ blocks on the table and choose a starting point for the robot so it can visit all of the unblocked cells. (the robot can't enter the blocked cells.) Proposed by Seyed Mohammad Seyedjavadi and Alireza Tavakoli