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From: nagle@well.sf.ca.us (John Nagle)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: 15-puzzle
Message-ID: <20930@well.sf.ca.us>
Date: 4 Oct 90 07:34:20 GMT
References: <1491@meaddata.meaddata.com>
Distribution: comp
Lines: 11

gordon@meaddata.com (Gordon Edwards) writes:

>I would like references on the 15-puzzle and various approaches to solving it.

     One simple approach is to get the top row and left column in order by
suitable manipulation.  Having done this, which is easy, you have reduced the
4x4 15-puzzle to the 3x3 8-puzzle.  Repetition of this process reduces the
8-puzzle to the 2x2 3-puzzle.  A final repetition solves the puzzle.
Who needs AI?

					John Nagle