2026-07-27
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Case file format — checkpoint hops, corridor notes, wall map, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Zip #497 is the LinkedIn Zip daily for July 27, 2026. Zip is LinkedIn's path puzzle: draw one continuous route through a 6×6 grid, visit every cell exactly once, hit 8 numbered checkpoints in order, and navigate around 6 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 6×6 Zip route visits all 36 cells once, hits 8 checkpoints in order, and respects 6 walls:
1→2 (4 cells, R1C2→R3C1); 2→3 (8 cells, R3C1→R4C1); 3→4 (7 cells, R4C1→R6C5); 4→5 (4 cells, R6C5→R4C6); 5→6 (3 cells, R4C6→R5C5); 6→7 (8 cells, R5C5→R3C6); 7→8 (8 cells, R3C6→R2C2)
Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint.
Analysis
Case file LinkedIn Zip #497: 6×6 path puzzle, 8 checkpoint exhibits, 6 blocked edges. Full trace covers 36 cells. Hop summary: 1→2 (4 cells, R1C2→R3C1); 2→3 (8 cells, R3C1→R4C1); 3→4 (7 cells, R4C1→R6C5); 4→5 (4 cells, R6C5→R4C6); 5→6 (3 cells, R4C6→R5C5); 6→7 (8 cells, R5C5→R3C6); 7→8 (8 cells, R3C6→R2C2).
Board spotlight: Many blocked edges narrow your options early — map wall bottlenecks before tracing toward the next numbered checkpoint. Wall count 6 on 6×6 shapes which corridors stay open between numbered cells.
Exhibit 1: 1→2, 4 cells. 4 cells link checkpoint 1 at R1C2 to checkpoint 2 at R3C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Exhibit 2: 2→3, 8 cells. 8 cells link checkpoint 2 at R3C1 to checkpoint 3 at R4C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Exhibit 3: 3→4, 7 cells. 7 cells link checkpoint 3 at R4C1 to checkpoint 4 at R6C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Exhibit 4: 4→5, 4 cells. 4 cells link checkpoint 4 at R6C5 to checkpoint 5 at R4C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Exhibit 5: 5→6, 3 cells. Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 5 and 6 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Exhibit 6: 6→7, 8 cells. 8 cells link checkpoint 6 at R5C5 to checkpoint 7 at R3C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Exhibit 7: 7→8, 8 cells. 8 cells link checkpoint 7 at R3C6 to checkpoint 8 at R2C2 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Verdict: 36-cell Hamiltonian path satisfies checkpoint order and wall constraints. Case closed.
Checkpoint hops
Corridor insight
Corridor A — 1→2: 4 cells link checkpoint 1 at R1C2 to checkpoint 2 at R3C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 4 cells, endpoints R1C2 → R3C1.
Corridor insight
Corridor B — 2→3: 8 cells link checkpoint 2 at R3C1 to checkpoint 3 at R4C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 8 cells, endpoints R3C1 → R4C1.
Corridor insight
Corridor C — 3→4: 7 cells link checkpoint 3 at R4C1 to checkpoint 4 at R6C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 7 cells, endpoints R4C1 → R6C5.
Corridor insight
Corridor D — 4→5: 4 cells link checkpoint 4 at R6C5 to checkpoint 5 at R4C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 4 cells, endpoints R6C5 → R4C6.
Corridor insight
Corridor E — 5→6: Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 5 and 6 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once.
Solving note
Evidence: 3 cells, endpoints R4C6 → R5C5.
Corridor insight
Corridor F — 6→7: 8 cells link checkpoint 6 at R5C5 to checkpoint 7 at R3C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 8 cells, endpoints R5C5 → R3C6.
Corridor insight
Corridor G — 7→8: 8 cells link checkpoint 7 at R3C6 to checkpoint 8 at R2C2 with open corridors (no walls on this segment).
Solving note
Evidence: 8 cells, endpoints R3C6 → R2C2.
Verification
Evidence supports segment order 1→2 (4 cells), 2→3 (8 cells), 3→4 (7 cells), 4→5 (4 cells), 5→6 (3 cells), 6→7 (8 cells), 7→8 (8 cells). Alternative corridors between checkpoints either cross walls or leave unreachable cell islands.
Solve path
Phase 1: Start at checkpoint 1 (R1C2) on this 6×6 grid with 8 checkpoints and 6 walls. Segment 1: Visit checkpoint 2 at R3C1 via 4 cells from checkpoint 1. 4 cells link checkpoint 1 at R1C2 to checkpoint 2 at R3C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 2: Visit checkpoint 3 at R4C1 via 8 cells from checkpoint 2. 8 cells link checkpoint 2 at R3C1 to checkpoint 3 at R4C1 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 3: Visit checkpoint 4 at R6C5 via 7 cells from checkpoint 3. 7 cells link checkpoint 3 at R4C1 to checkpoint 4 at R6C5 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 4: Visit checkpoint 5 at R4C6 via 4 cells from checkpoint 4. 4 cells link checkpoint 4 at R6C5 to checkpoint 5 at R4C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 5: Visit checkpoint 6 at R5C5 via 3 cells from checkpoint 5. Tight 3-cell hop — checkpoints 5 and 6 sit near each other; still visit every intervening cell exactly once. Segment 6: Visit checkpoint 7 at R3C6 via 8 cells from checkpoint 6. 8 cells link checkpoint 6 at R5C5 to checkpoint 7 at R3C6 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Segment 7: Visit checkpoint 8 at R2C2 via 8 cells from checkpoint 7. 8 cells link checkpoint 7 at R3C6 to checkpoint 8 at R2C2 with open corridors (no walls on this segment). Complete: Hamiltonian path covers all 36 cells, checkpoints 1–8 in order, ending on checkpoint 8 at R2C2.
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
Segment chain 1→2 (4 cells), 2→3 (8 cells), 3→4 (7 cells), 4→5 (4 cells), 5→6 (3 cells), 6→7 (8 cells), 7→8 (8 cells) is the only wall-respecting order that visits all 36 cells.
Dense walls eliminate straight lines between several checkpoint pairs.
Dense-wall maze — 6×6, 8 checkpoints, 6 walls.
Solution
This 6×6 board has 8 checkpoints (1@R1C2, 2@R3C1, 3@R4C1, 4@R6C5, 5@R4C6, 6@R5C5, 7@R3C6, 8@R2C2) and 6 walls. The solution path covers 36 cells in 7 checkpoint hops: 1→2 (4 cells, R1C2→R3C1); 2→3 (8 cells, R3C1→R4C1); 3→4 (7 cells, R4C1→R6C5); 4→5 (4 cells, R6C5→R4C6); 5→6 (3 cells, R4C6→R5C5); 6→7 (8 cells, R5C5→R3C6); 7→8 (8 cells, R3C6→R2C2). 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.