Sliding Puzzle

About the game

The Sliding Puzzle is the timeless tile game where numbered squares share a board with one empty gap. You slide tiles into that gap, one at a time, until every number sits in order with the blank in the corner. It looks easy and plays like a knot: each move that fixes one tile tends to disturb another, so real solving is about sequence, not luck.

This version offers a 3x3 (8 tiles) and a 4x4 (15 tiles) board, and every shuffle is generated to be guaranteed solvable. Your move count is tracked and your lowest count is saved per size, so once you can finish you can start racing your own efficiency.

How to play

• Tap (or click) a tile next to the gap to slide it in.
• On desktop the arrow keys slide a tile into the gap as well.
• Use the 3x3 / 4x4 buttons to switch board size, and Restart to reshuffle.

Rules

• Only a tile adjacent to the empty gap can move.
• The goal is to arrange the tiles 1 to N with the gap last.
• Every move increments your move counter.
• Fewer moves is better; your best (lowest) count is saved per board size.

Strategy & tips

Solve top rows and left columns first

Lock in the top row and left column, then treat the rest as a smaller puzzle. Working outside-in keeps solved tiles from being disturbed.

Learn the last-two-in-a-row trick

The final two tiles of a row often need a small rotation to seat. Stage them in the corner and cycle them into place — memorising this one manoeuvre unblocks most stalls.

Plan a few moves ahead

Before touching a tile, picture where the gap will travel. Thinking two or three moves out avoids the shuffle-in-circles trap that inflates your move count.

FAQ