Sliding Puzzle (8-Puzzle) Solver

Enter your current 3x3 tile arrangement (use 0 for the empty space) and PuzzleNest finds the shortest sequence of moves to reach the solved 1-8 grid.

Use numbers 1-8 for tiles and 0 for the blank space. Each number must appear exactly once.

Enter your grid and hit Solve to see the shortest move sequence.

How It Works

Solve Any Sliding Puzzle in 3 Steps

1️⃣

Type the numbers exactly as arranged on your board.

2️⃣

An A* search finds the guaranteed shortest path to solved.

3️⃣

Slide tiles up, down, left, or right in the order shown.

⚡

Solves the classic 8-puzzle in a fraction of a second.

Questions

What size grid does this solve? +

This solves the classic 3x3 (8-tile) sliding puzzle — the most common version found in puzzle apps and books.

Is the move sequence really the shortest possible? +

Yes — it uses the A* search algorithm with the Manhattan-distance heuristic, which guarantees the minimum number of moves.

What if my puzzle isn't solvable? +

Not every tile arrangement can reach the solved state — the solver will tell you if no solution exists so you can double-check your entry.

Keep Solving

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