How to play sliding tile
Slide numbered tiles into the empty space until they read 1, 2, 3… in order.
Sliding tile (also called the 15-puzzle style game) gives you a square grid of numbered tiles and one blank cell. Only tiles next to the blank can move. Arrange every number in sequence with the empty slot in the bottom-right corner, then verify your solution.
Goal
Arrange the tiles so they read 1, 2, 3… left to right, top to bottom, with the blank in the bottom-right corner. On a 3×3 grid the solved state ends with tile 8 and an empty cell; on 4×4 it ends with 15 and a blank, and so on.
Controls
Click or tap a numbered tile that sits next to the blank (up, down, left, or right)—it slides into the empty space. Movable tiles are highlighted on the board.
Arrow keys move the blank in that direction (sliding the adjacent tile into it). The game tracks your elapsed time and move count.
When you think the grid is solved, press Check solved. The server confirms whether every tile is in place. Use Reset board to return to this puzzle’s starting layout. A win shows a completion message without reloading the page.
Difficulty levels
On the sliding tile home, choose a difficulty. Larger grids have more tiles and take longer to solve:
- Easy — 3×3 grid (tiles 1–8 plus blank)
- Medium — 4×4 grid (tiles 1–15 plus blank)
- Hard — 5×5 grid
- Expert — 6×6 grid
Play the shared daily challenge calendar, or create printable sliding tile sheets to cut out and play offline.
Tips
Solve the top row first, then the next rows, keeping the blank where you need it. On small grids, focus on getting 1 and 2 into the top-left corner before tackling the rest. More strategy in our beginner tips article.
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