—11—Depth-First Search in an Abandoned Prison

Two steps into the prison, and Frank knew they had walked into a maze. The old computational prisons used to rely on their bizarre structure as much as on guards. Potential escapees think twice about sneaking through a door when they don’t know what lies on the other side: freedom or the guard’s breakroom.

“How about some light?” suggested Frank.

“Oh. Right,” agreed Socks. He muttered an incantation and a bluish flame flickered from the end of his staff, lighting up the completely unremarkable room.

The square room, rough stone walls, and heavy oaken door were enough to confirm what Frank already knew: the entire structure was a grid of rooms, each with doors to only some of its neighbors. They would ...

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