8puzzle Solver

This is a basic api for solving 3x3 boards in standard C++14. It has two main components:-

Game State
Solver

game_state provides a way to abstract the properties of a 3x3 board. A solver object is created with a game_state object. Calling solver::solve() solves the input state and stores solution parameters in itself like solution path, number of moves to solve and number of nodes explored.

solver object implements the A-Star shortest path finding algorithm with number of tiles out of place heuristic.

Build Instructions

git clone https://github.com/anjanik012/8puzzleSolver.git
cd 8puzzleSolver
cmake
cd cmake-build-debug
make

Run

Input

A grid has an input format like this 127804365, where a '0' represents the empty slot.

Output

It outputs number of moves to get to the goal state(default is 123456780) and the list of moves to get to the goal state.

./8puzzle 127804365
Number of moves:-24
R U L D R D L L U R D R U L U R D D L L U R R D

Moves are respect to the motion of empty tiles.

R means the empty tile should move to right.
L means the empty tile should move to left.
U means the empty tile should move upwards.
D means the empty tile should move downwards.

Comments

Hardest inputs are 867254301 and 647850321 where both have the best solution in 31 moves. All other problems can be solved in less than 30 moves. The algorithm used gaurantees the shortest path.