Sliding Puzzle

Slide the numbered tiles into ascending order. Only one empty space remains at the end.

How to Play: Objective: Arrange tiles in order (1, 2, 3...). Controls: Click tiles or use arrow keys to slide. The empty space moves in the direction you press.

Moves: 0

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Click tiles or use arrow keys to slide

Best Scores

Difficulty3x3

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Sliding Puzzle — How to Solve Any Board

Goal: slide tiles into the single empty space to restore the numbered (or pictured) order — row by row from the top-left.

The row-by-row method

Solve the top row first, then the left column beneath it. Each finished row/column reduces the puzzle to a smaller one.
Lock solved tiles. Never touch a completed row again — the method works by shrinking the playable area, not by shuffling.
The 2×2 endgame: finish by rotating the final four tiles (three tiles + blank) clockwise or counterclockwise until they click into place.

FAQ

Is every scramble solvable?

No — exactly half of all random arrangements are solvable, determined by the parity of tile permutations. Every board this game generates is guaranteed solvable.

What is a good move count?

Optimal solutions for the 15-puzzle average around 40–50 moves; casual row-by-row solving takes 80–120. Speed comes from planning two moves ahead.