How to play Sliding Puzzle
Play Sliding Puzzle
The rules
- The picture is cut into square tiles. The bottom-right tile is missing, which leaves one empty space.
- The tiles are scrambled by sliding them around.
- Slide tiles into the empty space until every tile is back in its place.
- Every tile that slides is one move.
- When the picture is complete, the missing tile appears.
How to play here
- Tap a tile in the same row or column as the empty space to slide it, and every tile between them, towards the empty space.
- Arrow keys slide the tile next to the empty space in the arrow direction.
- Keyboard: Tab moves between tiles and Enter slides the focused tile.
- Undo takes back a move. Hint shows a tile to slide; press it again for more help.
- The picture is never mirrored, also on right-to-left pages.
Difficulty levels
| Level |
Grid |
Fewest moves |
| Easy |
3 × 3 |
10 to 18 |
| Medium |
4 × 4 |
16 to 26 |
| Hard |
4 × 4 |
28 to 36 |
| Expert |
5 × 5 |
Long scramble |
Tips
- Solve the top row first, then the left column. What is left is a smaller puzzle.
- Place the last two tiles of a row together: bring them in side by side, then slide them into the row.
- Do not break up a finished row to fix a later one, unless you put it back at once.
FAQ
- How do I slide a tile?
- Tap a tile in the same row or column as the empty space. That tile, and every tile between it and the empty space, slides one place towards the empty space.
- Can every puzzle be solved?
- Yes. Each puzzle is scrambled with real slides from the finished picture, so there is always a way back.
- What does "Fewest possible" mean?
- On the easy, medium and hard levels it is the smallest number of moves that solves the puzzle, found by a computer search. Every tile that slides counts as one move. The expert level is too big for an exact count, so it shows no number.
- Can I see the whole picture?
- Yes. The "Show the picture" button shows the complete picture over the tiles. Press it again to go back to the puzzle. It is not counted as a move.
- Where do the pictures come from?
- From Wikimedia Commons: paintings by artists such as Van Gogh, Monet and Hokusai, space images from NASA and ESA, and nature photos. Every picture is in the public domain or free to use (CC0).
- Is there a new puzzle every day?
- Yes, at each of the four levels. There are 30 pictures, and at each level they come in a fixed order, so the same puzzle comes back after 30 days. Earlier puzzles are in the archive.
- Do I need an account to play?
- No. You play right in your browser, with no sign-up and no cookies. Your progress is saved in your browser.
