The three-cell edge route
The first answer is the compact three-letter route. Trace OWN from row 5, column 1 to row 5, column 3: the letters read O, then W, then N. Both moves go right, so this path has no turn and remains on row 5 throughout. It uses three edge cells and begins at a corner cell, making it a useful clean check when you want one confirmed route without opening much of the board.
For a cell-by-cell comparison, use this exact sequence: 1 at row 5, column 1; 2 at row 5, column 2; 3 at row 5, column 3. The start and end each have two open orthogonal neighbors on the original board. After this route is assigned, 18 open cells remain for the other three answers.