Sliding Cross


Problem 1

Probllem 2

Problem 3A

Problem 3B
Designed and made by D. Namdarian 2015; sleeve added by J. Storer.
(made from 1/8" thick laser cut plastic, board 3 layers, pieces 2 layers, 4.375" x 6.75" x 3/8")

As shown in the figure on the upper right above, there are 14 unit square white pieces that slide on the lower layer, where some of them have portions of the red upper layer glued to them. The puzzle came with two trays, an easier tray that has a simple border, and a harder tray that has triangles on the upper left and lower right of the border that allow the bottom white layer of pieces to slide underneath. The directions describe Problems 1, 2, and 3A, where for all three of these, it makes no difference if the harder puzzle tray is augmented to also have a triangle in the upper right corner. Problem 3A differs in style from Problems 1 and 2 in that the blank square starts in the upper right but ends up in the upper left. Problem 3B is an additional problem where, like Problems 1 and 2, the empty square starts and ends in the upper right.

Solutions are as follows:
Easy tray:
Problem 1: 30 moves
Problem 2: 60 moves
Problem 3A: 24 moves
Problem 3B: 32 moves
Harder tray:
Problem 1: 30 moves
Problem 2: 66 moves
Problem 3A: 24 moves
Problem 3B: 32 moves

A 66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)

(66 Move Solution for Problem 2, Harder Tray, continued)