2025/03/05 DPA: "MVPs [Most Valuable Pawns]"

Black to move:

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Disclaimer:  this is my submission so I already knew the solution.

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The key is being able to calculate that, while a traditional Ladder Mate* is not possible, since the King is adjacent to the Rooks, this modified cross pattern checkmate is possible due to the f4 pawn that cuts off g3 and e3 and is itself protected and White's pawns which block the other escape paths.

This means that 2. ... Rhh2+ cannot be met with 3. Ke3 [and then escape to d4].   3. Rf1 is checkmate because that Rook controls the f file, the other Rook controls the 2nd rank, and the pawn controls g3 and f3.

*A Ladder Mate with Rooks is where the King is on the edge of the board and one Rook controls the edge and the other controls the file or rank next to the edge.  If the King is not adjacent to a Rook, no problem.  If the King is adjacent, that closer Rook must be protected by something other than the further Rook.

What makes this puzzle potentially more difficult is this cross pattern, which is relatively rare.

This is based on a game of mine from a month ago:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/132366053829?move=89

I missed the -M3 shown in the puzzle, thinking I had to get my King to g4 first and then move the Rooks.  I did eventually checkmate with both Rooks and my King on g4 but I had to have cooperation from my opponent.