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Checkmate Sliding Puzzle

W. G. H. Strijbos from the Netherlands has designed several puzzles. One of them is a sliding puzzle. This puzzle combines the idea of the classic 15-16 puzzle of Samual Loyd with a chess theme.

Checkmate Sliding Puzzle

Rules

The solver of the puzzle must find a series of movements of the squares, such that:
  1. At the end, the black king is mated. This means that the king is both theoretically as practically checkmate.
  2. At the end, the board is correctly checkered.
  3. When a tile with a piece moves, it must be a legal move. Kings may never be played at adjacent (orthogonally or vertically) positions.
  4. Of course, tiles can only be moved one square horizontally or vertically, to the empty position.
  5. When a king is in check, it must be able to directly move it away from check.
There are three variants:
  1. Parts b2 and c3 are fixed. The minimum solution is 82 moves.
  2. Parts c3 and d3 are connected and c2 and d2 are connected. The minimum solution is 68 moves.
  3. Part c3 is fixed, and parts c2 and d2 are connected. The minimum solution is 68 moves.

Obtaining the puzzle

The puzzle is for sale. Information can be found on the Puzzle World Website.
WWW page made by Hans Bodlaender. Thanks to W. G. H. Strijbos, for allowing to use the picture of his puzzle, and to S. Sirotkin for pointing towards this puzzle.
WWW page created: February 21, 2000.