Try to only let the tar grow in such a way that it grows slower than the rate you destroy it at.
For the second section specifically...
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× The tar mass is only 6 squares wide, even though it is quite long. This means that if you clear the mass methodically, row by row, rather than haphazardly, you can clear around 3 rows of tar per 30 moves, if you're efficient, while the tar, depending on where you are and how it has been cut, can only grow at a rate of around 1 - 1 1/2 rows per 30 moves. If you do this carefully, you should remove around two rows of tar every 30 moves.
[Edited by agaricus5 on 09-16-2003 at 09:53 PM]
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Resident Medic/Mycologist