Part 1
In the first part of the challenge, we simulate the first kilobyte (1024 bytes) falling into the memory space.
Each byte is represented by its coordinates, and as the bytes fall, the corresponding tiles in the grid become
corrupted, marked with a “#” symbol. The algorithm uses Dijkstra’s algorithm to calculate the shortest path from the
top-left corner (0, 0) to the bottom-right corner (70, 70), avoiding the corrupted tiles. The algorithm processes each
neighboring tile, updating the distances based on the number of steps taken to reach that tile. The result is the
minimum number of steps required to reach the exit.
Part 2
In the second part of the challenge, the task is to determine if the Reindeer can still reach the exit after the entire kilobyte of bytes has fallen into the grid. The algorithm continues to simulate the falling bytes, but after each byte falls, it checks if a path to the exit is still available. If no path is found at any point, the algorithm reports that the exit is blocked, and it identifies the byte that caused the blockage. The solution ensures that the Reindeer’s route is not obstructed and can safely reach the exit, even as more bytes fall into the grid.