2026-07-23
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Strategy coach format — checkpoint hops, corridor notes, wall map, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Zip #493 is the LinkedIn Zip daily for July 23, 2026. Zip is LinkedIn's path puzzle: draw one continuous route through a 7×7 grid, visit every cell exactly once, hit 8 numbered checkpoints in order, and navigate around 22 walls. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Medium. Estimated solve time: 4–6 min.
Answer
This 7×7 Zip route visits all 49 cells once, hits 8 checkpoints in order, and respects 22 walls:
1→2 (6 cells, R5C5→R4C5); 2→3 (2 cells, R4C5→R3C5); 3→4 (18 cells, R3C5→R5C4); 4→5 (3 cells, R5C4→R4C3); 5→6 (6 cells, R4C3→R3C3); 6→7 (2 cells, R3C3→R3C4); 7→8 (18 cells, R3C4→R5C3)
Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint.
Analysis
Teaching LinkedIn Zip #493: students sketch one checkpoint hop at a time on this 7×7 board. 8 checkpoints, 22 walls. Walk the 7 segments before drawing the full line.
Board spotlight: Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint. Wall count 22 on 7×7 shapes which corridors stay open between numbered cells.
Lesson hop 1: show why the path must pass through R4C5 before checkpoint 2. 6 cells link checkpoint 1 at R5C5 to checkpoint 2 at R4C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Lesson hop 2: show why the path must pass through R3C5 before checkpoint 3. Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 2 and 3 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Lesson hop 3: show why the path must pass through R5C4 before checkpoint 4. Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 3 to 4 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour.
Lesson hop 4: show why the path must pass through R4C3 before checkpoint 5. Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 4 and 5 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Lesson hop 5: show why the path must pass through R3C3 before checkpoint 6. 6 cells link checkpoint 5 at R4C3 to checkpoint 6 at R3C3 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Lesson hop 6: show why the path must pass through R3C4 before checkpoint 7. Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 6 and 7 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Lesson hop 7: show why the path must pass through R5C3 before checkpoint 8. Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 7 to 8 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour.
Recap: 8 checkpoints, 7 teachable hops, one continuous route. Replay using checkpoint-first planning.
Checkpoint hops
Corridor insight
6 cells link checkpoint 1 at R5C5 to checkpoint 2 at R4C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Opening route: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 2.
Corridor insight
Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 2 and 3 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Solving note
Mid-board sweep: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 3.
Corridor insight
Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 3 to 4 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour.
Solving note
Wall dodge: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 4.
Corridor insight
Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 4 and 5 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Solving note
Checkpoint bridge: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 5.
Corridor insight
6 cells link checkpoint 5 at R4C3 to checkpoint 6 at R3C3 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Late corridor: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 6.
Corridor insight
Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 6 and 7 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Solving note
Final sweep: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 7.
Corridor insight
Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 7 to 8 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour.
Solving note
Verifier hop: Ask which walls block a shorter line to checkpoint 8.
Verification
Teach verification by checkpoint hops: after segment 7, every cell is visited once, walls intact, final cell holds checkpoint 8.
Solve path
Phase 1: Start at checkpoint 1 (R5C5) on this 7×7 grid with 8 checkpoints and 22 walls. Segment 1: Visit checkpoint 2 at R4C5 via 6 cells from checkpoint 1. 6 cells link checkpoint 1 at R5C5 to checkpoint 2 at R4C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 2: Visit checkpoint 3 at R3C5 via 2 cells from checkpoint 2. Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 2 and 3 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once. Segment 3: Visit checkpoint 4 at R5C4 via 18 cells from checkpoint 3. Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 3 to 4 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour. Segment 4: Visit checkpoint 5 at R4C3 via 3 cells from checkpoint 4. Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 4 and 5 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once. Segment 5: Visit checkpoint 6 at R3C3 via 6 cells from checkpoint 5. 6 cells link checkpoint 5 at R4C3 to checkpoint 6 at R3C3 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 6: Visit checkpoint 7 at R3C4 via 2 cells from checkpoint 6. Tight 2-cell hop — checkpoints 6 and 7 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once. Segment 7: Visit checkpoint 8 at R5C3 via 18 cells from checkpoint 7. Long 18-cell sweep (37% of the board) from checkpoint 7 to 8 — most of the Hamiltonian path lives in this detour. Complete: Hamiltonian path covers all 49 cells, checkpoints 1–8 in order, ending on checkpoint 8 at R5C3.
Pattern
Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint.
Learn more in Zip Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
Draw to the next checkpoint, pause, scan untouched cells — never sketch the full path on turn one.
22 blocked edges — walk each hop and confirm no segment crosses a wall bar.
Path must finish on checkpoint 8 with zero empty cells — verify after the final hop.
Solution
This 7×7 board has 8 checkpoints (1@R5C5, 2@R4C5, 3@R3C5, 4@R5C4, 5@R4C3, 6@R3C3, 7@R3C4, 8@R5C3) and 22 walls. The solution path covers 49 cells in 7 checkpoint hops: 1→2 (6 cells, R5C5→R4C5); 2→3 (2 cells, R4C5→R3C5); 3→4 (18 cells, R3C5→R5C4); 4→5 (3 cells, R5C4→R4C3); 5→6 (6 cells, R4C3→R3C3); 6→7 (2 cells, R3C3→R3C4); 7→8 (18 cells, R3C4→R5C3). Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint. 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.