{"title":"Sliding Puzzles","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn a sliding puzzle the pieces never leave the frame. You move them past each other into a target arrangement, and the constraint is not which piece goes where but the order you are allowed to move them in.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat makes them completely different to solve from packing or assembly puzzles. You cannot brute-force a sliding puzzle by trying pieces in a hole. You have to plan a sequence, and most sequences dead-end.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe three in this collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/slidely-trivial-3-piece-packing-puzzle\"\u003eSlidely Trivial\u003c\/a\u003e is flat, cheap and deceptively stubborn - a good first sliding puzzle. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/swapping-castles\"\u003eSwapping Castles\u003c\/a\u003e is the classic swap problem: get two sets of pieces to trade places in a space that barely fits them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/minima-slider\"\u003eMINIMA Slider\u003c\/a\u003e by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/frederic-boucher\"\u003eFrederic Boucher\u003c\/a\u003e is the serious one. Five pieces, one box, exactly one solution, and it had its world debut at Greg Puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBest for\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSolvers who like planning several moves ahead rather than fiddling. Commuters and travellers - nothing falls out on a train. People who enjoyed Rush Hour or Klotski as kids and want an adult version.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat is a sliding block puzzle?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA puzzle where pieces slide within a confined frame and cannot be lifted out. You reach the goal position by moving pieces around each other in the right order.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAre sliding puzzles good for travel?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes. The pieces stay in the frame, so there is nothing to lose in a bag or down the side of a seat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow is this different from a packing puzzle?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA packing puzzle starts with loose pieces you fit into a space. A sliding puzzle starts assembled and asks you to rearrange it without removing anything.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhich one should I start with?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSlidely Trivial. It teaches the move-planning habit at a low price before you take on MINIMA Slider.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"minima-slider","title":"MINIMA Slider | Pack 5 Pieces in Box","description":"\u003ch2\u003eMINIMA Slider - Quick Summary\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MINIMA Slider is a hard packing puzzle designed by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/frederic-boucher\"\u003eFrederic Boucher\u003c\/a\u003e, inspired by Yasuhiro Hashimoto's Diagonal Twins. Your goal: fit 5 pieces inside the box. There is exactly one correct solution. Hard difficulty, 1-4 hour solve time. World-debut at Greg Puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e experienced puzzle solvers who want a compact, desk-worthy challenge with a single elegant solution, and collectors of designer packing puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eIPP Exchange 2026\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMINIMA Slider was Greg's exchange puzzle at the 2026 International Puzzle Party in Assisi, Italy - an international gathering of a closed circle of puzzle collectors, where brand-new puzzles are introduced and exchanged.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePuzzle designer Frederic Boucher developed the MINIMA Slider after solving Diagonal Twins, an award-winning puzzle by Yasuhiro Hashimoto. The original Diagonal Twins introduced an unusual geometric relationship between its pieces - Boucher took that idea and pushed it into new territory with the MINIMA format.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat Makes It Different\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat makes the Slider mechanically distinct from a standard packing puzzle is the sliding constraint. The pieces do not simply drop or press into position. They must be sequenced and slid into place in a specific order. That single change eliminates trial-and-error as a viable strategy. You cannot brute-force your way through it. Every move requires deliberate intent, and placing one piece incorrectly makes the next step impossible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe puzzle has a compact footprint - small enough to sit on a desk without demanding space, substantial enough to feel purposeful in your hands. You will reach points where everything seems correct and nothing moves. Then something shifts, the sequence clicks, and the last piece slides flush with the frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePuzzle Specs\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePieces:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5+1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDifficulty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSolve Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1-4 hrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTrains:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spatial Thinking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShips:\u003c\/strong\u003e Disassembled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the MINIMA Slider?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe MINIMA Slider is a hard packing puzzle designed by Frederic Boucher, inspired by Yasuhiro Hashimoto's Diagonal Twins. Your goal: fit 5 pieces inside the box, in the only correct configuration. Hard difficulty, 1-4 hour solve time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow hard is the MINIMA Slider?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHard difficulty. Most solvers spend 1-4 hours on their first attempt. The sliding constraint means the solution path is narrow - you can hold all the right pieces and still be stuck.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho designed the MINIMA Slider?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePuzzle designer Frederic Boucher. He developed the MINIMA concept after solving Diagonal Twins by Yasuhiro Hashimoto.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Greg Puzzles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50831823896743,"sku":null,"price":34.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/2827\/1783\/files\/minima_slider_marble.png?v=1781965342"},{"product_id":"swapping-castles","title":"Swapping Castles | Chess Puzzle","description":"\u003cp\u003eFour black rooks on one side. Four white rooks on the other. Can you swap them all without getting stuck?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoal: Use standard chess moves to swap all black rooks to the white side and all white rooks to the black side, using the empty squares to maneuver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can not capture any rooks in the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's special about Swapping Castles?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolved using standard chess moves\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChess-themed design chess lovers will enjoy \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelops advanced spatial + strategic reasoning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerfect for coffee tables and clinic waiting room\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/sherzod-khaydarbekov\"\u003eSherzod Khaydarbekov\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Greg Puzzles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51003445379239,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/2827\/1783\/files\/swapping_castles_marble_v2.png?v=1784556223"},{"product_id":"slidely-trivial-3-piece-packing-puzzle","title":"Slidely Trivial | 3-Piece Packing Puzzle","description":"\u003cp\u003eTrivial's sibling, with one restriction that changes everything: pieces can only go into the tray flat, through the opening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoal: pack all 3 pieces inside the tray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou cannot drop a piece straight into its spot or tilt it in. Every piece enters flat through the opening and has to travel from there, so the puzzle is as much about the order you go in as it is about where each shape ends up. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/goh-pit-khiam\"\u003eGoh Pit Khiam\u003c\/a\u003e is known for exactly this kind of sliding-move design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's special about Slidely Trivial?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne restriction turns a simple pack into a sliding challenge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelops planning and 2D spatial reasoning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLightweight and travel-friendly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned by Goh Pit Khiam\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Greg Puzzles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51325797531815,"sku":null,"price":13.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/2827\/1783\/files\/slidely_trivial_marble.png?v=1789059508"}],"url":"https:\/\/gregpuzzles.com\/collections\/sliding-puzzles.oembed","provider":"Greg Puzzles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}