Which Puzzle Was Introduced in 1832? The 15-Puzzle's True Origin (1874)

The 15-Puzzle (sliding block puzzle) is often cited with an 1832 origin, but the verified invention is:

• Inventor: Noyes Palmer Chapman (New York postmaster).
• Date: 1874 (not 1832).
• Mechanism: 4×4 grid with 15 numbered tiles + 1 empty space; slide to order 1–15.
• Craze: Exploded globally in 1880 after Matthias Rice manufactured it.

The 1832 date may confuse it with earlier sliding puzzles or a misattribution. Chapman's 1874 wooden prototype is the accepted origin.