2026-01-04
Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Pattern lab format — checkpoint hops, corridor notes, wall map, and strategy notes.
Overview
Zip Level 4 is part of our exclusive Zip level track. Zip is LinkedIn's path puzzle: draw one continuous route through a 5×5 grid, visit every cell exactly once, hit 4 numbered checkpoints in order, and navigate around 2 walls. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Easy. Estimated solve time: 3–5 min.
Answer
This 5×5 Zip route visits all 25 cells once, hits 4 checkpoints in order, and respects 2 walls:
1→2 (4 cells, R2C2→R1C4); 2→3 (6 cells, R1C4→R3C3); 3→4 (17 cells, R3C3→R1C1)
Several checkpoint hops require long detours through empty cells — the direct line between numbers is rarely the route you can keep.
Analysis
Classification target Zip Level 4. Grid 5×5. Checkpoint count 4. Wall sample 2. Pattern tag: wide-detour path. Segment vector: 1→2 (4 cells), 2→3 (6 cells), 3→4 (17 cells).
Board spotlight: Several checkpoint hops require long detours through empty cells — the direct line between numbers is rarely the route you can keep. Wall count 2 on 5×5 shapes which corridors stay open between numbered cells.
Sample segment 1: 1→2. Length 4. Walls crossed: 0.
Sample segment 2: 2→3. Length 6. Walls crossed: 0.
Sample segment 3: 3→4. Length 17. Walls crossed: 0.
Lab result: Wide-detour path. 25 cells. 2 walls. 1→2 (4 cells, R2C2→R1C4); 2→3 (6 cells, R1C4→R3C3); 3→4 (17 cells, R3C3→R1C1).
Checkpoint hops
Corridor insight
Sample 1: 1→2, length 4, walls 0.
Solving note
4 cells link checkpoint 1 at R2C2 to checkpoint 2 at R1C4 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Corridor insight
Sample 2: 2→3, length 6, walls 0.
Solving note
6 cells link checkpoint 2 at R1C4 to checkpoint 3 at R3C3 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Corridor insight
Sample 3: 3→4, length 17, walls 0.
Solving note
Long 17-cell sweep (68% of the board) from checkpoint 3 to 4 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour.
Verification
Optimal segment vector: 1→2 (4 cells, R2C2→R1C4); 2→3 (6 cells, R1C4→R3C3); 3→4 (17 cells, R3C3→R1C1). Wall budget 2. Pattern class wideDetour.
Solve path
Phase 1: Start at checkpoint 1 (R2C2) on this 5×5 grid with 4 checkpoints and 2 walls. Segment 1: Visit checkpoint 2 at R1C4 via 4 cells from checkpoint 1. 4 cells link checkpoint 1 at R2C2 to checkpoint 2 at R1C4 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 2: Visit checkpoint 3 at R3C3 via 6 cells from checkpoint 2. 6 cells link checkpoint 2 at R1C4 to checkpoint 3 at R3C3 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 3: Visit checkpoint 4 at R1C1 via 17 cells from checkpoint 3. Long 17-cell sweep (68% of the board) from checkpoint 3 to 4 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour. Complete: Hamiltonian path covers all 25 cells, checkpoints 1–4 in order, ending on checkpoint 4 at R1C1.
Pattern
Several checkpoint hops require long detours through empty cells — the direct line between numbers is rarely the route you can keep.
Learn more in Zip Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
3 hops covering 25 cells. Longest: 17 cells.
Wide-detour path. 1→2 (4 cells, R2C2→R1C4); 2→3 (6 cells, R1C4→R3C3); 3→4 (17 cells, R3C3→R1C1).
Several checkpoint hops require long detours through empty cells — the direct line between numbers is rarely the route you can keep.
Solution
This 5×5 board has 4 checkpoints (1@R2C2, 2@R1C4, 3@R3C3, 4@R1C1) and 2 walls. The solution path covers 25 cells in 3 checkpoint hops: 1→2 (4 cells, R2C2→R1C4); 2→3 (6 cells, R1C4→R3C3); 3→4 (17 cells, R3C3→R1C1). Several checkpoint hops require long detours through empty cells — the direct line between numbers is rarely the route you can keep. Use the Solution tab for a checkpoint-segment reveal with live board updates, or the Solved board tab for the complete path at a glance.