The 15-Tile Puzzle
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Everyone "knows" how to get the first 3 tiles in place. The big obstacle is getting the #4 tile in place. Usually at that point, the puzzle is thrown away. It is time to conquer this impenetrable barrier.
Slide the #4 tile directly below the #3 tile:
Get the empty space at the very bottom left:
Drop the entire left column down:
Slide the #2 and #3 tiles to the left, leaving a space above the #4 tile:
Push the #4 tile up:
Only one tile can go left. Slide that tile to the left:
Only one tile can go down. Drop that tile down:
Slide the entire top row to the right:
Push the entire left column up:
...and the first row is now finished.
Arrange the next three tiles (#5, #6 & #7):
Slide the #8 tile directly below the #7 tile:
Use the same method as before (without disturbing the top row) to get the #8 tile in place:
...and the second row is now finished.
Slide the #9 tile in place, with the empty space at the very bottom right:
If the #10 tile is below the #9 tile, then use these steps to get those tiles side-by-side:
| start |
|
right |
|
down |
|
left |
|
up |
|
left |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | x | x | x |
9 | x | x | x |
| x | x | x |
x | | x | x |
x | 10 | x | x |
x | 10 | x | x |
| 10 | x | x | |
| 10 | x | x |
9 | 10 | x | x |
9 | 10 | x | x |
9 | | x | x |
9 | x | x | |
| |
| down |
|
right |
|
up |
|
left |
|
down |
|
left |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| x | 10 | x | |
| x | 10 | x |
9 | x | 10 | x |
9 | x | 10 | x |
9 | | 10 | x |
9 | 10 | x | |
| 9 | x | x | x |
9 | x | x | x |
| x | x | x |
x | | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
If the #10 tile is not below the #9 tile, then merely rotate the 5 bottom-right tiles until the two tiles are next to each other; for example:
| start |
|
right |
|
down |
|
left |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | x | x | 10 |
9 | x | x | 10 |
9 | | x | 10 |
9 | x | 10 | |
| x | x | x | |
x | | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
| |
| up |
|
right |
|
down |
|
left |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | x | 10 | x |
9 | x | 10 | x |
9 | | 10 | x |
9 | 10 | x | |
| x | x | x | |
x | | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
x | x | x | x |
Rotate the two bottom rows counter-clockwise so that the #9 tile is below the #10 tile:
Rotate the 5 bottom-right tiles until the #11 tile is next to the #10 tile:
Rotate the two bottom rows counter-clockwise until the #10 tile is below the #11 tile:
If the #12 tile is above the #9 tile, then skip the the rest of this section. Otherwise; rotate the 3 bottom-right tiles until the #12 tile is in its place:
Get the empty space next to the #9 tile:
Rotate the 5 bottom-left tiles clockwise until the the #9, #10 & #11 tiles are arranged in place:
...and the third row is finished.
The last row is easy. Rotate the bottom two rows counter-clockwise until the #9 tile is below the #12 tile:
Rotate the 3 bottom-right tiles until the #15 tile is next to the #12 tile:
Rotate the bottom two rows clockwise until the third row is intact again:
... and the last row is automatically solved!