Given a two-dimensional cubic Bézier spline defined by 4 control-points as described in [the Wikipedia entry][1], is there a way to solve analytically for the parameter along the curve (ranging from 0 to 1) which yields the point closest to an arbitrary point in space?

$$
\mathbf{B}(t) = (1-t)^3 \,\mathbf{P}_0 + 3(1-t)^2 t\,\mathbf{P}_1 + 3(1-t) t^2\,\mathbf{P}_2 + t^3\,\mathbf{P}_3, ~~~~~  t \in [0,1]
$$
where $\mathbf P_0$, $\mathbf P_1$, $\mathbf P_2$, and $\mathbf P_3$ are the four control-points of the curve.

I can solve it pretty reliably and quickly with a divide-and-conquer algorithm, but it makes me feel dirty…


  [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9zier_curve#Cubic_B.C3.A9zier_curves