Advice for navigating a corn maze?
October 13, 2024 7:10 PM Subscribe
I have no sense of direction and can't remember which is right or left when under pressure. I love corn mazes but thought this year it might be nice to finish in under 3 hours. Do you have any tips for getting through a maze?
Things I'll have: phone, Garmin watch with some GPS features, and, hopefully, a sunny day.
I live in a place where moss grows on all sides of a tree, so finding north with moss will not work.
Best answer: There are any number of maze-solving algorithms out there. Not all of them would work for one person exploring a maze; some of them are designed for paper mazes where you can see the entire maze all at once.
The "hand on wall" algorithm mentioned above is the simplest, but it doesn't work for all mazes (it fails if the goal is in the center of the maze and there's no wall connecting it to the outside of the maze.) Also, it doesn't seem like it would be a lot of fun; you just do this One Weird Trick until you emerge.
Tremaux's algorithm might be more fun to implement in person — it feels like it would be more "explore-y" and allow you more agency. But you'd have to bring some markers that you'd be willing to discard and that you'd be confident that other people wouldn't move, which might not be possible.
posted by Johnny Assay at 7:31 PM on October 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
The "hand on wall" algorithm mentioned above is the simplest, but it doesn't work for all mazes (it fails if the goal is in the center of the maze and there's no wall connecting it to the outside of the maze.) Also, it doesn't seem like it would be a lot of fun; you just do this One Weird Trick until you emerge.
Tremaux's algorithm might be more fun to implement in person — it feels like it would be more "explore-y" and allow you more agency. But you'd have to bring some markers that you'd be willing to discard and that you'd be confident that other people wouldn't move, which might not be possible.
posted by Johnny Assay at 7:31 PM on October 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If it’s a sunny day, and you start early or late, you can use the sun to figure what is east or West.
posted by greta simone at 7:34 PM on October 13, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by greta simone at 7:34 PM on October 13, 2024 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Assuming your Garmin has the “navigation” feature, it can show you a small picture of the route you have already walked in the maze, including your starting point. This might help you keep from retracing your steps. Search Google for the name of your watch + navigation to learn more about how to view this screen during an activity. You have to start an activity such as a Walk and have the navigation screen enabled during a Walk to see it. This is also called “breadcrumbs” navigation. It might help to practice in your neighborhood before you go to the maze.
On a less techie note, look for a few markers along the way that can tell you if you’re retracing steps as well. Take your time at each turn off, and note (in your mind, in a notebook, or in a note on your phone), “turned right at the witch statue” or whatever. Or “carved pumpkins turn off to the right is a dead end”.
posted by Red Desk at 8:15 PM on October 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
On a less techie note, look for a few markers along the way that can tell you if you’re retracing steps as well. Take your time at each turn off, and note (in your mind, in a notebook, or in a note on your phone), “turned right at the witch statue” or whatever. Or “carved pumpkins turn off to the right is a dead end”.
posted by Red Desk at 8:15 PM on October 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
Garmin probably does this as well, but a hiking app like AllTrails, even the free version, shows you the path you've already walked. Just login and click Navigate. I *think* it'll be accurate enough to see the distinct paths of a corn maze, but you might want to try outside first before depending on it. It will also tell you which way is north. In fact your phone will do that as well with just the built-in compass app. Note - when i say phone, I mean an iphone. I assume Androids are similar but I dont know for certain.
posted by cgg at 8:48 PM on October 13, 2024
posted by cgg at 8:48 PM on October 13, 2024
Best answer: Any chance you could bring tape or something you could attach at the ground or edge of a corner you pass by? Just a tiny little piece, enough for you to notice, like a tiny little garage sale dot or something.
posted by erst at 10:26 PM on October 13, 2024
posted by erst at 10:26 PM on October 13, 2024
Best answer: Similar to the hand on the wall but without the need to touch anything: just always turn right at any possible right turn. If you have trouble remembering your right from left when under pressure, wear a watch or a bracelet on your right wrist and consult your hands at any opening.
posted by donut_princess at 5:10 AM on October 14, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by donut_princess at 5:10 AM on October 14, 2024 [2 favorites]
As mentioned above, always turning right does have a fail point. At the same time most corn maze makers (for better or for worse) tend not to be so tricky.
posted by donut_princess at 5:13 AM on October 14, 2024
posted by donut_princess at 5:13 AM on October 14, 2024
Best answer: I have the GPS Logger app on my phone. It says it's accuracy is 3.2 meters or about 10.5 feet. Marginal.
Assuming the maze is on a grid, you could keep track of how many steps you take in each direction, and therefore what corner of the grid you are in.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:15 AM on October 14, 2024
Assuming the maze is on a grid, you could keep track of how many steps you take in each direction, and therefore what corner of the grid you are in.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:15 AM on October 14, 2024
Best answer: For when I need to be able to tell my right from my left under pressure, I literally just sharpie a big L on the back of my L hand. (You could not pay me to get in a corn maze but maybe that tool will help.)
posted by DarlingBri at 6:33 AM on October 14, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 6:33 AM on October 14, 2024 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I just went to a complicated one that had a map option, so if you're not set on doing a specific maze, you might look around for something similar. It defaults to a "fog" feature that reveals things as you go to maintain a bit of mystery. GPS did seem sufficient for navigation, which is consistent with my experience of hiking trail apps in the past couple years too.
posted by teremala at 7:28 AM on October 14, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by teremala at 7:28 AM on October 14, 2024 [1 favorite]
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posted by Rash at 7:22 PM on October 13, 2024 [10 favorites]