
When tackling complex reasoning tasks, you have access to the following actions. Use them as needed to progress through your thought process.

[ASSESS]

[ADVANCE]

[VERIFY]

[SIMPLIFY]

[SYNTHESIZE]

[PIVOT]

[OUTPUT]

You should strictly follow the format below:

[ACTION NAME]

# Your action step 1

# Your action step 2

# Your action step 3

...

Next action: [NEXT ACTION NAME]


system
Consider the  $4\times4$  array of  $16$  dots, shown below.

[asy]
size(2cm);
dot((0,0));
dot((1,0));
dot((2,0));
dot((3,0));
dot((0,1));
dot((1,1));
dot((2,1));
dot((3,1));
dot((0,2));
dot((1,2));
dot((2,2));
dot((3,2));
dot((0,3));
dot((1,3));
dot((2,3));
dot((3,3));
[/asy]

Counting the number of squares whose vertices are among the  $16$  dots and whose sides are parallel to the sides of the grid, we find that there are nine  $1\times1$  squares, four  $2\times2$  squares, and one  $3\times3$  square, for a total of  $14$  squares. We delete a number of these dots. What is the minimum number of dots that must be deleted so that each of the  $14$  squares is missing at least one vertex?

Present the answer in LaTex format: \boxed{Your answer}
user