Trouble with the Vella cereal/cleaning robot puzzle. (SOLVED)

[Shady Boots]

I'm so frustrated I can't even. I cannot get through this puzzle and I've tried like 20 times in a row now. I rush as FAST AS I CAN to the teleporter room, teleport to the starboard passageway, and EVERY TIME I reach there and click on the robot, Vella always says she needs more of an advantage. I've pored through all the available walkthroughs and I KNOW I didn't miss anything up until this point, so I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Do I need to click a certain spot on the robot or use the knife or something? I tried clicking on the chute but that didn't work either. Neither did clicking on the cereal.

Someone PLEASE help me with this cause I literally have no idea what else to try. It's pretty clear what I have to do, and I do it as fast as I possibly can but no matter what I do nothing is working. I know I reach the robot in time but Vella won't do anything! She just keeps letting it get away. I don't know if this is a glitch or what, but I really need help. Did I miss something?

[EmmaKat]

Did you move the blockade back in the corridor?

[Shady Boots]

Originally posted by Toast_Burner:

Did you move the blockade back in the corridor?

OH WHAAAT? I didn't even think of that! God, talk about a brain fart. Thanks so much. The walkthroughs I've been perusing said nothing about that so I completely forgot it was even there.

[Visuwyg]

This was my favorite puzzle, I think. I felt so smart figuring it out!