Let us number the squares as follows:
+---+---+---+
| 0 | 1 | 2 |
+---+---+---+
| 7 | 8 | 3 |
+---+---+---+
| 6 | 5 | 4 |
+---+---+---+
Now, let N(x) be the current square number for tile x. So, for example, if a tile A is in the square number 3, then N(A) = 3. Note that a "tile" can be in any of these squares and the number of each square remains the same (so the upper left square will always be the number 0).
The sequence score is given by:
for each tile x in (A, B, C, ..., H)
score += distance from N(x) to the correct square for tile x
if N(x) == 8 # i.e. the tile is in the center
score += 3*1
else if N(next(x)) != (N(x) + 1) % 8
score += 3*2
where next(x) takes x to the next letter, i.e. next(A) = B, next(B) = C, ... , next(G) = H, next(H) = A.
So to answer your specific questions:
- tile refers to the tile on square
(N(x) + 1) % 8, i.e. the next square round the edge
- it refers to the tile in "for each tile not in the center"
- The next step is given by looking at
A. C should not be clockwise to A, then we have 2. Next we look at C, D should be clockwise to A, so this is okay. Looking at D, E, F and G all of these are okay, but when we get to H it should not be next to 0, so we have a score of 4. We add 1 because B is in the center to get 5. Then multiply by 3 to get 15. Then add 1 to move B up to the right place, and 1 to move A left to the right place for a final total of 17.