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Prime stepping stones

Puzzling Asked on January 29, 2021

Start by placing number $1$ anywhere on an infinite square grid. Now place numbers $2, 3, 4, ldots, K$ in order. A number $k$ can be placed if the following rules hold:

  • It must be adjacent (horizontally or vertically) to the previous number $k-1$.
  • It must have at least one neighbour (horizontally or vertically) number $m$ already placed such that $k+m$ is prime. Note that $m$ can be $k-1$.

What is the largest number $K$ that you can place? You can use a computer if you want.

2 Answers

I can do

Answered by Paul Panzer on January 29, 2021

Found with the assistance of a computer program. It couldn't find anything larger so I think this is an upper bound.

Answered by Primusa on January 29, 2021

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