Description

The n-puzzle consists of n square tiles, labeled numerically from 1 to n. They are arranged in a random ordering within a square tray that is just large enough to hold n+1 tiles (see fig. 1, n = 15). The tiles should then be slid around the tray until they are in the correct ordering as shown in fig. 2, with the blank space at the bottom-right hand corner. The tiles must not be picked out of the tray. In this programming assignment you are asked to find the optimal solution using A* of a n-puzzle, where n <= 128, if the n-puzzle is solvable. The solution is a set of actions (the minimum number of moves) that need to be performed in order to solve the puzzle