The escape ray is the test
Read from the head all the way to the board edge, not around the snake’s bends. A snake several cells away can still block that line. An empty neighboring cell alone does not mean the move is safe.
The body tells you what a move unlocks
The head decides whether a snake can leave; the body tells you which other heads might benefit. A long route through the center may block several exits. Once it leaves, those heads can become available together.
Work backward from a blocked head
If the snake you want is blocked, inspect the route in front of it. Is that blocker free? If not, follow its own head to the next blocker. Keep going until you reach an opening. You have found a small sequence you can solve without memorizing the entire board.
More than one legal order can work
Free snakes stay free until you remove them. Choosing among legal heads does not create a dead end. On harder boards, prioritize a move that opens useful space so you spend less time searching for the next head.
Common questions
Does a snake move around its bends?
Its body follows its own route as it leaves. The legality check is still the straight ray in front of the head.
Can a snake pass through the cat?
No. The protected cat pocket is excluded from snake paths and head rays.
