
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
$\begin{tabular}{cccccccccccccc}
& & & & & & & C & & & & & &\\  
& & & & & & C & O & C & & & & &\\  
& & & & & C & O & N & O & C & & & &\\  
& & & & C & O & N & T & N & O & C & & &\\  
& & & C & R & A & T & T & E & R & N & O & C & \\  
& & P & A & T & T & E & R & N & A & T & T & E & R \\  
P & A & T & T & E & R & N & A & T & T & E & R & N & A \end{tabular}$

For how many paths consisting of a sequence of horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line segments, with each segment connecting a pair of adjacent letters in the diagram above, is the word "PATTERN" spelled out as the path is traversed from beginning to end?
A) 8
B) 18
C) 25
D) 30
E) None of these

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