About Sliding Puzzle
The classic sliding tile puzzle (the 15 puzzle) on a keeper's ward-tablet: numbered rune-stones, one empty socket, and an order they belong in. Slate 3×3, Tablet 4×4, Gate 5×5 — ten boards each.
Every board carries two records to beat: the fastest time and the fewest moves — set by anyone, kept independently. Your own best time and fewest moves are kept too. Each stone that slides counts one move, so a far tap can cost several at once.
How to play
- Goal
- Slide the stones home in order: 1, 2, 3… ending at the empty socket.
- How it ends
- A board is solved when every stone is home. There is no wrong move, only a longer path.
- Record
- Two records per board: the fastest first solve and the fewest moves.
- Tap any stone in the gap's row or column — it and the stones between slide one step each.
- Put every stone home: 1, 2, 3… ending at the empty socket. Each stone that slides counts one move.
- Two records wait per board: fewest moves and fastest time. There is no wrong move, only a longer path.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Tap a stone in the gap's row or column | Slide |
| Arrow keys | Slide one stone |
| R | Restart the board |
| Esc | Back |
Tips
- Finish rows, then columns. Most tablets come home row by row: settle the top row first and never touch it again.
- The gap is your tool. Parking the socket beside the stone you want is most of the work.
- Chase one record at a time. Fewest moves and fastest time are kept apart — a slow perfect path and a fast messy one both count.
Good to know
Progress is saved in this browser.
Watch how to play
Questions
Can a board be impossible?
No. Half of all random arrangements of this puzzle are unsolvable, which is why ours come from a walk away from the solved tablet — and an exact solver re-proves every board before it ships.
What are the two records?
Every board keeps a best time and a fewest-moves record, set by anyone and kept independently — the speedrun and the perfect path are different sports. Your personal both are kept per board as well.
Are the boards the same for everyone?
Yes — every Slate, Tablet and Gate board is a fixed scramble, so any record on them means the same thing for everyone.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in this browser. An unfinished board comes back when you press Continue.
