About Tile Slide
Tile Slide is a modern take on the sliding number puzzle that has challenged people for well over a century. The tiles start scrambled, and your goal is to restore them to order, left to right and top to bottom, with the gap in the bottom-right corner.
Every shuffle is made with legal moves, so every board can be solved. Start with the 3×3 board to learn the technique, then move up to 4×4 and 5×5. Your fewest-move solution on the 4×4 board is saved as your best.
How to play
- Tap a tile in the same row or column as the gap to slide it.
- Swipe or use the arrow keys to move the tile next to the gap.
- Arrange the tiles in numerical order to win.
Tips and strategy
- Solve the top row first, then the left column. Each solved row and column shrinks the puzzle.
- Place the last two tiles of a row together: line them up beside their spots, then rotate them in.
- Tapping a tile several spaces from the gap slides the whole line at once, saving time (each tile still counts as a move).
Frequently asked questions
Is every puzzle solvable?
Yes. Boards are shuffled with real moves from the solved position, so a solution always exists.
Which size counts for best score?
Best moves are tracked separately for each board size. The panel shows the best for the size you are playing.
Who invented the sliding puzzle?
The 15 puzzle became a craze in the 1880s in the United States and is often credited to Noyes Chapman.
