SPEED RUN NOTES
Xcw speed-run notes
Win condition
A level clears when the drawn line reaches the object without the extending arm touching a guard, trap, or solid block anywhere along its length. The whole route must stay safe, not just the endpoint.
Fastest line
Read the full route before you touch down, then draw through the widest open gap with broad curves instead of tight bends. Wide curves clear the turn in one stroke, while a sharp corner forces a redraw when the arm swings wide.
Input language
Press on the hand and hold, trace one continuous line to the object, then lift only when you reach it. The stroke must stay whole, so decide the route before you start and do not pause mid-line to rethink.
Opening play
Before drawing, watch the moving guards for one full cycle and aim at the widest part of their gap. Your first stroke should already account for the arm's width, because it swings wider than the center line you trace.
Score signals
A clean stroke reaches the object with no collision and the level advances. If the line looks clear but still collides, the arm clipped a corner — that is the signal to widen that specific turn, not to redraw the whole path.
Recovery
When a line collides, find the one turn or corner where the arm clipped and add clearance on that side only. Keep the rest of the route identical so you can see whether the single fix cleared it.
Player questions: Thief Puzzle Online
How do I control Thief Puzzle Online?
Press on the hand, hold, trace one continuous line to the object, then lift when you reach it. The line is the route your arm extends along, so it must stay unbroken.
Why does a line that looks clear still collide?
The arm is wider than the center line you draw, so it clips on sharp turns. Leave visible clearance on both sides of each bend and prefer broad curves.
