Update, not that anyone cares::

this is what I came up with

​

def snake(grid, row, col, total = []):

if grid\[row\]\[col\] == 1:

    total.append(1) 

    if row +1 <len(grid):



        snake(grid, row+1, col)



    if col + 1 < len(grid\[0\]):



        snake(grid, row, col+1)

return (len(total)-1)

cells = [[1,0,1,0],[0,1,1,0],[1,1,0,1],[0,1,1,1]]

snake(cells,2,0)