Maze Workbench
A seeded depth-first walk connects every cell. The braided rule then opens some dead ends to add loops. Wall edits update both neighboring cells, and start and goal can be moved. Breadth-first search reports reachability, minimum moves, and whether more than one shortest route exists. Solve it yourself with arrow keys or on-screen controls, then save separate puzzle and answer SVG files.
Key features
- Reproducible 4×4–16×16 perfect or braided grid mazes
- Reciprocal wall editing and movable start and goal
- Unreachable goal, shortest distance, tied shortest routes and dead-end analysis
- Keyboard and on-screen play with wall-collision and goal checks
- Strictly validated JSON save and import of walls, endpoints and legal moves
- Printable puzzle SVG without the answer and a separate answer SVG
How to use
- Choose width, height, perfect or braided rule, and a seed from 0 to 4294967295; then generate.
- In edit mode, select a cell and open or close its internal walls. You can also place the start or goal on that cell.
- Review reachability, shortest distance, and tied shortest routes. Show one shortest solution on the grid when needed.
- In play mode, focus the grid and use arrow keys or on-screen direction buttons. Moves through walls are rejected.
- Save the maze and movement trail as JSON or import a validated file. Download separate printable puzzle and answer SVGs.
Use cases
- Recreate a classroom maze from its seed and print separate puzzle and answer sheets
- Open or close walls to explore how shortest distance and reachability change
- Move the endpoints, solve the maze yourself, and save the movement trail
Frequently asked questions
Does the same seed produce the same maze?
Yes. The same dimensions, rule, and seed generate identical initial walls. Subsequent wall and endpoint edits are preserved in the JSON file.
How do perfect and braided mazes differ?
A perfect maze connects every cell with one simple route between any pair of cells. Braiding opens some extra dead-end walls, which can create cycles.
What does multiple shortest routes mean?
At least two start-to-goal paths use the same minimum number of moves. The grid displays one such route; longer paths are not counted.
What happens if I block every route?
The goal is marked unreachable and answer SVG download is disabled. Reopen a wall or move an endpoint to analyze again.
How are SVG and JSON different?
SVG is a printable image: the puzzle file contains no answer line, while the answer file includes one verified shortest path. JSON keeps walls, seed, endpoints, and your legal moves for later editing.
Are my mazes stored on a server?
No. Generation, editing, and search run in your browser. Files are read locally or downloaded only when you choose to do so.
Privacy
Mazes and JSON files are processed in this browser. Maze data is not sent to a server or automatically saved to an account.
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