Sliding Puzzle

How to play Sliding Puzzle

1. The numbered tiles are mixed up, with one empty square.
2. Tap a tile next to the empty square to slide it there. Tap a tile further along the same row or column and the whole line slides at once.
3. Put the tiles back in order: 1, 2, 3 along the top row, and so on, with the empty square at the end.
4. A faint number in each square shows which tile belongs there; tiles in the right place turn green.

Tips

• Solve the top row first, then the left column, and never touch them again.
• Place the last two tiles of a row together: bring them in as a pair.
• Move the empty square around a tile to walk it to its spot.
• On 4 x 4 and 5 x 5, keep shrinking the puzzle: each solved row turns it into a smaller one.
• On a keyboard, the arrow keys slide the tile next to the empty square. The clock runs from the start: beat your best time on each level.

About Sliding Puzzle

The sliding puzzle, often called the 15 puzzle in its 4 x 4 form, has been around since the 1870s and caused a real craze at the time. Its rule could not be simpler, yet solving it takes planning and patience.

Every grid here is shuffled with real moves from the solved position, so it can always be solved. Choose 3 x 3 for a quick puzzle, 4 x 4 for the classic, or 5 x 5 for a long and satisfying challenge.

Points and badges

Finishing a game of Sliding Puzzle earns points for your level. Four badges are waiting in this game, from bronze to diamond: each one says what to do and adds bonus points.

Questions