About this game
Slide the tiles into order, the classic number puzzle
What this game is
Numbered tiles sit around a single empty space, and you push the tiles next to that gap into it. Line them up from 1 in order, with the gap ending at the last spot, and the board is done.
Each board is shuffled by sliding the gap around a solved layout a few hundred times. That means a way back always exists and an unsolvable arrangement never comes up. What gets recorded is how many moves you needed, so the game turns into trimming your own number at the same size.
How to play
- Three sizes
- Easy is 3×3 with eight tiles, medium 4×4 with fifteen, hard 5×5 with twenty-four. The level button switches between them at any time.
- Only the neighbours move
- Tap a tile that touches the gap and it slides into it. On a desktop the arrow keys push tiles the same way.
- The record is your move count
- The header shows your moves so far next to the fewest you have ever needed at that size. Lower is better, so you keep replaying one size and shaving it down.
- Lock the top row first
- Solve the top row and the left column first and then leave them alone, and the area you still have to think about keeps shrinking. Once a small corner is all that remains, a handful of moves finishes it.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I get an unsolvable board?
- Never. Every board is shuffled by sliding the gap around a solved layout, so there is always a path back.
- Is there an undo?
- There is no dedicated button. Sliding the same tile back reverses the move, and the shuffle button deals a fresh board.
- Does it cost anything?
- It is free. All it takes is one Google sign-in before you start.
- Does it work on a phone?
- It opens in the browser on a phone, tablet or desktop. Tiles move with a tap, which works fine on a small screen.
