The puzzle was invented by Noyes Palmer Chapman in 1874.
Sam Loyd claimed from 1891 until his death in 1911 that he invented the puzzle.
Loyd offered a $1,000 prize for anyone who could provide a solution for achieving a particular combination reversing the 14 and 15.
This was impossible, as it required a transformation from an even to an odd combination.
Goal
The goal is to place the tiles in order.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
You can do sliding moves that use the empty space.
You cannot remove a stone from the puzzle.
Solution
Create: The 1-2-3-4 Combination
Create: The 5-6-7-8 Combination
Create: The 9-10-11-12 Combination
Rotate and rearenge two bottom rows a couple of times as needed
