How do I enter my puzzle?

Give every block its own letter and type that letter into each cell it covers. Use A for the block that has to escape — it must lie horizontally, and it leaves through the right edge of its row. Leave empty cells as a dot, and use # for a fixed wall. The solver works out whether each block moves sideways or up and down from its shape.

Does it find the shortest solution?

Yes. It uses breadth-first search, counting sliding one block any distance along its track as one move — the way most unblock and rush-hour style games count. The first solution it reaches is therefore one of the shortest possible.

Why does it say my puzzle has no solution?

Usually a block was entered with the wrong shape — two neighbouring blocks sharing a letter, or the target not on the row you meant. If the board is entered correctly, the search has tried every reachable position and none frees the target block.

Is anything uploaded?

No. The search runs entirely in your browser, and the board you type is never sent anywhere.

← Escape Grid

Sliding block puzzle solver

Stuck on an unblock or rush-hour style level? Draw the board below — one letter per block, A for the block that must escape to the right — and the solver returns the shortest sequence of slides. It runs in your browser and lets you step through the answer one move at a time.

Enter your board

Grid size:

Letters = blocks · empty = free cell · # = wall · the highlighted right edge marks the exit.

How the solver works

Every block in an unblock puzzle is locked to one axis, so a position is just the offset of each block along its track. The solver explores positions in breadth-first order — everything one move away, then two, and so on — where sliding a block any distance counts as a single move. Because it never looks at a deeper position before finishing a shallower one, the first time block A reaches the exit is a shortest solution. A typical 6x6 board has a few thousand to a few hundred thousand reachable positions, which a browser checks in well under a second.

Solving by hand: work backwards from the exit

Look at the target row and list every block between A and the exit. For each one, ask which way it has to move to leave that row and what is stopping it. That second list is your real starting point: clear the blocks that trap the blockers, then the blockers, then drive A out. Keep blocks parked at the far ends of their tracks when you can — a block left in the middle of the board is the most common reason a puzzle feels impossible.

Practise on puzzles that are guaranteed solvable

Escape Grid is a free browser sliding block game with 160 hand-checked levels, plus a Daily Challenge. Each level was verified by a solver before release. For numbered tile puzzles instead, use the 15 puzzle solver, and the unblock puzzle guide covers strategy in depth.

Frequently asked questions

How do I enter my puzzle?: Give every block its own letter and type that letter into each cell it covers. Use A for the block that has to escape — it must lie horizontally, and it leaves through the right edge of its row. Leave empty cells as a dot, and use # for a fixed wall. The solver works out whether each block moves sideways or up and down from its shape.
Does it find the shortest solution?: Yes. It uses breadth-first search, counting sliding one block any distance along its track as one move — the way most unblock and rush-hour style games count. The first solution it reaches is therefore one of the shortest possible.
Why does it say my puzzle has no solution?: Usually a block was entered with the wrong shape — two neighbouring blocks sharing a letter, or the target not on the row you meant. If the board is entered correctly, the search has tried every reachable position and none frees the target block.
Is anything uploaded?: No. The search runs entirely in your browser, and the board you type is never sent anywhere.