two classes of experiments: a) blind searches, where the player is given no *a priori* knowledge of the size of the neighborhood, and b) searches with initial information, where the value of $N_{\mbox{\tiny{y}}}$ is given to the player at the beginning of the round. The objective of performing both classes of experiments is twofold: on the one hand to investigate whether players adapt their searching strategies when they have better information about the landscape and, on the other hand, to examine how search efficiency changes when the reliability of the information provided by the yellow cells increases.

Experiments with blind searchers and square neighborhoods  {#experiments-with-blind-searchers-and-square-neighborhoods .unnumbered}
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For this first series of experiments neither the exact size, the position of the yellow region, nor a range of possible dimensions was given to the searchers. Before starting the round, each player only knew that a target (red square) was hidden in the board and it might be randomly placed inside a square vicinity of yellow cells of unknown size. The uncertainty in the size of the neighborhood reduces the reliability of the information acquired by the player when a yellow cell is clicked and favors the efficiency of random strategies [@MendezChap6]. 