12 Puzzle
mametter.itch.io- Category
- Entertainment
- Rank
- No. 218Apps board
Previous survey · No. 208 ·
- Pricing
- Free
- Type
- GAME
- Date
About
A browser-based sliding puzzle where twelve tiles ring one empty space like numbers on a clock face, but the board is a patch of the hyperbolic plane, so tiles visibly bend as they slide. The goal is to return every tile to its labeled home facing up, and there is no reset button since progress is saved across reloads.
At a glance
12 Puzzle is a sliding-tile game on a curved board, with twelve numbered tiles arranged around an empty space. Winning means putting each tile at its clock-face home and facing upright. A move can change a tile’s orientation, so matching the numbers’ positions is only part of the problem.
Good fit
Give it a try if the familiar 15-puzzle has become routine and you want a spatial challenge with a different rule to reason about. Sliding a tile into the gap visibly changes its shape and orientation. The small board keeps the problem readable while requiring attention to how a route rotates a tile.
Consider something else when
You want a forgiving puzzle with a reset button or a guaranteed quick finish. The author deliberately omits reset, and reloading preserves the board. This is better suited to patiently working through a position than repeatedly starting over.
Start here
Choose Run game, then Start. Tap a tile next to the empty space and watch its orientation as it moves. The outer labels show its destination; both position and upright numbers matter. Dragging chains slides, and the instructions also support arrow keys. The browser check confirmed a moved board survived reloading.
Cost and requirements
Free HTML5 play on itch.io, without an account or downloaded game package. The instructions support taps, drags and arrow keys. The test used the game’s browser frame on desktop; touch controls were not exercised.
Limits to know
The developer’s best-run replay records only a new best completed within five minutes and 1,000 moves without reloading. Keeping your board through a reload therefore differs from keeping a replay-eligible run. Clearing browser state or moving devices was not tested; do not treat the reload check as evidence of cloud saves.
Sources checked 2026-10-30. Source-based assessment.
Why it made the leaderboard
A distinctive, playable puzzle that reworks a familiar mechanic through hyperbolic geometry, giving it a genuinely novel feel rather than being another templated puzzle clone.
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