Slide Puzzles

Puzzle types explained

Slide Puzzles offers different puzzle types to match a variety of play styles and skill levels. While all puzzles follow the same sliding mechanics, each type adds its own kind of challenge and experience.

This page explains the differences between numeric, image and video puzzles, and helps you decide which type suits you best.

Numeric puzzles

Numeric puzzles are the classic form of slide puzzles. Instead of an image, each tile is labeled with a number, and the goal is to arrange them in the correct numerical order.

Why choose numeric puzzles?

Numeric puzzles are ideal if you:

  • Want to practice or improve solving strategies and patterns
  • Are mainly interested in pure puzzle logic
  • Prefer a distraction-free experience without images or motion

Because every tile is clearly labeled, numeric puzzles make it easy to:

  • Analyze tile positions
  • Learn efficient solving techniques

Best suited for

  • Beginners learning how slide puzzles work
  • Players focussed on speed, moves and optimization
  • Anyone who enjoys logical, pattern-based challenges

Numeric puzzles are often used as a starting point before moving on to more visually complex puzzle types.

Image puzzles

Image puzzles use a photograph or illustration that is split into tiles. The goal is to restore the original image by sliding the tiles into the correct position.

What makes image puzzles different?

Compared to numeric puzzles, image puzzles add:

  • Visual complexity
  • The need to recognize shapes, colors and edges
  • Less obvious tile ordering

Slide Puzzles offers a wide variety of images across different categories, allowing you to choose puzzles that match your interests or mood.

Customization makes image puzzles beginner-friendly

Although image puzzles can be more challenging, they are highly customizable:

  • Grid size can be adjusted to control difficulty
  • The show numbers option can be enabled
  • This effectively combines image puzzles with numeric guidance

This makes image puzzles suitable for both:

  • Beginners who want visual help
  • Experienced players looking for a richer challenge

Video puzzles

Video puzzles are a unique feature of Slide Puzzles. Instead of a static image, the puzzle is created from a short looping video.

What makes video puzzles special?

Video puzzles introduce an extra layer of complexity:

  • The image is constantly moving
  • Visual reference points change over time
  • Tile positions are harder to memorize

Because of this, video puzzles often require:

  • More focus
  • Strong spatial awareness

Difficulty and uniqueness

Video puzzles are generally:

  • More challenging than image puzzles
  • Best suited for experienced players
  • Ideal if you’re looking for something different

This puzzle type is unique to Slide Puzzles and offers a distinctive experience you won’t find in traditional slide puzzle games.

Choosing the right puzzle type

Each puzzle type offers a different way to play:

  • Numeric puzzles focus on logic and strategy
  • Image puzzles combine logic with visual recognition
  • Video puzzles add motion and an extra level of challenge

You can always switch between puzzle types and adjust settings like grid size or visual aids to match your skill level and preferences.

Tips for getting started

  • Start with numeric puzzles to learn solving patterns
  • Move to image puzzles once you're comfortable
  • Try video puzzles when you're ready for a more demanding challenge

There’s no single “best” puzzle type — the best choice is the one that keeps you engaged and enjoying the challenge.

Learn more

This article is part of the how it works guide. You may also find these articles helpful:

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