TEN BLOCKS. TWO EMPTY SPACES.
Klotski.
Make a little room.
Move the large block to the exit.
Play Klotski online for free, also known as Huarong Dao. Slide ten blocks on a 4×5 board until the large 2×2 block reaches the bottom center. New here? See your first slide ↓ or learn the rules.
Your next puzzle
Move the large block to the bottom-center exit position, inside the board. Drag in any straight direction. One straight slide, of any length, counts as one move.
Hints & solution
Hint highlights a useful block. Show next slide describes an optimal move without moving it. Both use your current board and count as assistance: an assisted clear earns one star. Play full solution moves your current board as a demonstration and earns no record for this attempt. Stop demo stops playback; it does not restore the starting position. Undo reverses a slide, and Restart starts a fresh attempt while keeping your best record.
Keyboard & accessible moves
Tab to a block. Use arrow keys for one cell, or Shift + arrow for the furthest legal destination. Each press is one slide. The buttons below let you choose every legal destination.
Settings & scoring
★★★ Optimal, with no hints. ★★ Within 30% of optimal, with no hints. ★ Any other completed puzzle. Time is not part of your score. Progress saves on this browser; no account needed.
Motion follows your device’s reduced-motion preference.
Explore 502 classic puzzles, all using the same ten pieces and two empty cells. Choose a journey, pick a free-play puzzle or try the daily challenge. Difficulty labels are estimates from board and solution features, rather than measured player performance. Progress stays in this browser.
YOUR FIRST LITTLE WAY OUT
Your first slide in level 1
Read these two snapshots, then try the same move on your board. The diagrams are examples; reading them does not change your puzzle or records.
Back to your current puzzle ↑1. Find the two empty cells
This is level 1. The large red block sits just above two empty cells in the bottom row. It has room to slide down.
0 moves · level 1 starting board 2. Slide down once
Drag the red block down one cell and release. It now covers the middle two columns of the bottom two rows. That is the finish: 1 move, with no extra slide outside the board.
1 move · level 1 finished board
Try it without changing another draft. Open the level browser in Classic Journey and choose level 1. If you have already played it, Restart asks before clearing that attempt and keeps your best record.
Need another way to move? Open “Keyboard & accessible moves”, select Exit block and choose “down 1 cell”. Or Tab to the red block and press ↓. Tapping a block selects it; dragging or a move button slides it.
Keep exploring. Undo reverses one slide. Hint highlights a useful block on your current board; Show next slide describes an optimal move. Hints count as assistance, and Play full solution is a demonstration with no record. After a real finish, Next puzzle opens the following level.
A SMALL BOARD, A LONG WAY OUT
How to play Klotski
The classic board is four cells wide and five cells tall. It contains one 2×2 block, four upright 1×2 blocks, one flat 2×1 block and four 1×1 blocks. The two empty cells are your working space.
- Slide into free space. Move one block horizontally or vertically. Every block can use either axis, as long as the whole path is clear. Blocks cannot rotate, overlap, pass through another block or leave the board.
- Make room for the large block. Bring the 2×2 block to the bottom-center position. It finishes inside the board, covering the middle two columns in the bottom two rows. There is no extra move through the frame.
- Count straight slides. One move slides one block in one direction by one or more cells. Moving a small block two cells right in one slide counts as one move. Turning downward is another move; two separate one-cell actions also count as two moves.
- Try, compare and undo. Move a blocker away, see what space it opens and undo when needed. A hint can help you return to a route toward the exit.
PLAN THE SPACE BEFORE THE BLOCK
Klotski strategy and tips
The large block needs a two-cell-wide route. A move that brings it closer to the exit can still close the working space you need later. These ideas help you plan without revealing a solution.
- Look at both empty cells. Side-by-side spaces can accept a flat block; stacked spaces can accept an upright block. Ask which arrangement you need next.
- Move a blocker to a useful place. Before moving a piece, find somewhere it can wait without closing the next route. Small blocks often help rearrange that space.
- Allow a step backward. Sometimes the large block must move away from the exit so another block can get around it. Distance from the exit alone does not measure progress.
- Change one plan at a time. Use Undo to compare positions. If you ask for help after experimenting, the next step should be based on your current board, not only the starting arrangement.
A LITTLE ROOM TO THINK
Klotski questions, answered.
What is Klotski?
Klotski is a sliding block logic puzzle. In this classic version, ten rectangular pieces share a 4×5 board with two empty cells. The goal is to move the large 2×2 piece to the bottom center. Huarong Dao is another name associated with this puzzle.
Is Klotski the same as Unblock Me or Unblock Car?
They share the idea of clearing space, but the movement rules differ. Here every block may move horizontally or vertically without rotating. In Brainfold’s Unblock Car, vehicles occupy a 6×6 board and slide only along their orientation, with the red car leaving on the right.
How many moves does Klotski take?
It depends on the starting layout and the counting rule. Brainfold counts one straight slide of one block as one move, regardless of its distance. A change of direction starts another move. The displayed optimum uses that same rule and ends with the large block at the bottom center. Published records using different layouts or combined turning moves are not directly comparable.
Are there different Klotski puzzles?
Yes. Changing the starting positions changes the challenge even when the board and pieces stay the same. This collection keeps the classic 4×5 rules throughout. Brainfold’s generated puzzles are not presented as named historical arrangements.
Where do these puzzles come from?
They are generated for Brainfold from legal classic-board positions, then checked by a shortest-path solver and an independent solution replay. Matching layouts and left-right reflections are filtered out, with additional checks for similar boards and repeated opening sequences. That does not mean a familiar mathematical arrangement cannot occur elsewhere.
Can I play Klotski online for free?
Yes. Play in your browser without an account or download. JavaScript is needed for the game. Rules and strategy text are available even when JavaScript is disabled.
Can I use a mouse, touch screen or keyboard?
Drag a block with a mouse or one finger. You can also select a block and use the move controls beside the board. Tab to a block to select it. Arrow keys move it one cell; Shift with an arrow slides it as far as the free space allows in one move. The move controls offer other legal distances without dragging.
Does the daily puzzle change with my time zone?
The daily challenge uses the UTC calendar date. Players using the same collection version see the same challenge for that date. Your device’s local midnight may fall at a different time.
Where are my records saved?
When browser storage is available, progress and records stay on this device in this browser profile. Clearing site data can remove them. They do not automatically synchronize between devices.