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Solving Problems with Unknown Constraints

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"Software constraints are only confining if you use them for what they're intended to be used for"   -- David Byrne (Of the Talking Heads) I recently had an ongoing conversation that spanned several days about the subject of solving mazes. A friend casually mentioned the "Same Wall Rule", (also known as the "Right Hand Rule"), for solving a maze. This is where if you want to find the exit of a maze you should pick a wall and follow it, with the assumption that you will eventually find the exit this way. Same Wall Rule for Solving a Maze I pointed out that while this rule generally works, you can't count on it as it can fail spectacularly. For example, what if you start out next to a free-standing wall? Same Wall Rule Failing Horribly After that our conversation turned to other things but the next day my friend came back and said "I found the problem! The Same Wall Rule will work, but you have to start at the beginning of the maz