
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
The Cricket always moves by taking steps exclusively towards the North or towards the East. The Ant lives $n$ steps further North and $n$ steps further East, but this time there is a river following the diagonal straight line between the two friends, which the Cricket cannot cross: it can go on the riverbank, but must stay "above" or "below" the diagonal. How many paths does it have now?

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