Gamer say:

Spiral the words Gamer says around in a 3 by 3 board like this:

G A M
Y   E
A S R

On each turn, you may slide one letter horizontally or vertically into the blank space (the square it moved from becomes the new empty square).

You want to rearrange the letters so that the same word is spelled out around the edge, but beginning from one of the edges instead of the corner.

In other words, the board should look like one of these configurations:

Y G A  S A Y  E R S  A M E
A   M  R   G  M   A  G   R
S R E  E M A  A G Y  Y A S

What is the fewest number of turns it takes to do this?

(In reply to it is MORE challenging that I thought by Ady TZIDON)

You are right (this same type of reasoning works with the 15-14 puzzle) but there being two As the problem CAN be solved. If you try to get a certain configuration, and don't manage it, exchange both As.

Posted by Federico Kereki on 2004-03-19 07:01:00