It can still be complicated, have multiple solutions, one of which optimal as requiring more loops, but instead of having infinite scaling (which eventually makes all actions order a solution) I want the player to actually figure out the solution, like it should be in a puzzle
the problem is your game is like walking through a maze, but take even one step off the "correct" path and you get reset back to the start. its a puzzle without any game, without any soul or fun. its like telling someone that to open a door you have to move forward or back left or right in a very specific set of steps, and after the first 7-8 steps suddenly there are no clues to go on and you have to brute force it.