Reading this maze
Linked courtyard starts at row 2, column 5. Of the 42 grid positions, 32 are paintable and 10 are walls. The start is already painted; the other 31 tiles remain to be reached.
The switch at row 4, column 5 toggles gate A on every entry. Start down; opening the gate changes where later slides can stop. The first slide covers 4 of 32 target tiles; 28 remain.
The verified opening crosses 3 tiles before stopping. A breadth-first search proves a 19-slide finish from this exact starting board; that is a reference target, not a move limit. You may revisit any painted tile.
Switch A is a diamond; gate A has bars when closed and a dashed outline when open. Entering the switch toggles it immediately, including during a slide. If you get trapped, undo or restart; Hint checks the current gate and painted-floor state.