The problem isn’t a lack of ideas, the problem is that some things just can’t be fixed easily or quickly. There are lots of conceivable ways of blocking off the top of the well pipe, but if the well pipe is not sound upstream of that point, then none of those flow stopping approaches are viable. They will all exacerbate a much worse problem. It’s like plugging up a garden hose that has pinhole leaks all along its length. You just moved the problem somewhere where it’s impossible to manage. We haven’t been told that, but the fact that they have completely given up on any top kill flow stopping approach is telling.
The only real solution then is to block off the flow lower down in the pipe, which is what the relief well is going to do. In the meantime, the only thing to do is try to capture as much of the oil as possible as it comes out, which they are doing a reasonable job of.
I think they should also probably knock it off with the dispersants. It seems a lot easier to collect or burn surface oil than plumes of oil heading off to points unknown. But I’m not an expert, and there are probably factors involved I know nothing about.