diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index bad13ec1..f3076c0d 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     vroom::io::update_port(cl_args.servers, port);
   }
   exploration_level = std::min(exploration_level, vroom::MAX_EXPLORATION_LEVEL);
-  vroom::io::set_exploration_level(cl_args, exploration_level);
+  cl_args.set_exploration_level(exploration_level);
   if (debug_depth) {
     cl_args.depth = debug_depth.value();
   }
diff --git a/src/structures/cl_args.cpp b/src/structures/cl_args.cpp
index 944c1d5a..5dfeac31 100644
--- a/src/structures/cl_args.cpp
+++ b/src/structures/cl_args.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ All rights reserved (see LICENSE).
 #include <cassert>
 
 #include "structures/cl_args.h"
+#include "utils/helpers.h"
 
 namespace vroom::io {
 
@@ -75,18 +76,10 @@ void update_port(Servers& servers, std::string_view value) {
   }
 }
 
-void set_exploration_level(CLArgs& cl_args, unsigned exploration_level) {
-  cl_args.depth = exploration_level;
+void CLArgs::set_exploration_level(unsigned exploration_level) {
+  depth = utils::get_depth(exploration_level);
 
-  assert(exploration_level <= MAX_EXPLORATION_LEVEL);
-
-  cl_args.nb_searches = 4 * (exploration_level + 1);
-  if (exploration_level >= 4) {
-    cl_args.nb_searches += 4;
-  }
-  if (exploration_level == MAX_EXPLORATION_LEVEL) {
-    cl_args.nb_searches += 4;
-  }
+  nb_searches = utils::get_nb_searches(exploration_level);
 }
 
 } // namespace vroom::io
diff --git a/src/structures/cl_args.h b/src/structures/cl_args.h
index a20ca7ae..71b4ef9e 100644
--- a/src/structures/cl_args.h
+++ b/src/structures/cl_args.h
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ struct CLArgs {
   unsigned nb_threads;                       // -t
   unsigned nb_searches;                      // derived from -x
   unsigned depth;                            // derived from -x
+
+  void set_exploration_level(unsigned exploration_level);
 };
 
 void update_host(Servers& servers, std::string_view value);
 
 void update_port(Servers& servers, std::string_view value);
 
-void set_exploration_level(CLArgs& cl_args, unsigned exploration_level);
-
 } // namespace vroom::io
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/structures/vroom/input/input.cpp b/src/structures/vroom/input/input.cpp
index 6ac64d6d..74df05fd 100644
--- a/src/structures/vroom/input/input.cpp
+++ b/src/structures/vroom/input/input.cpp
@@ -1118,6 +1118,17 @@ std::unique_ptr<VRP> Input::get_problem() const {
   return std::make_unique<CVRP>(*this);
 }
 
+Solution Input::solve(unsigned exploration_level,
+                      unsigned nb_thread,
+                      const Timeout& timeout,
+                      const std::vector<HeuristicParameters>& h_param) {
+  return solve(utils::get_nb_searches(exploration_level),
+               utils::get_depth(exploration_level),
+               nb_thread,
+               timeout,
+               h_param);
+}
+
 Solution Input::solve(unsigned nb_searches,
                       unsigned depth,
                       unsigned nb_thread,
diff --git a/src/structures/vroom/input/input.h b/src/structures/vroom/input/input.h
index e4a6358f..c7122e2e 100644
--- a/src/structures/vroom/input/input.h
+++ b/src/structures/vroom/input/input.h
@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ class Input {
                  const std::vector<HeuristicParameters>& h_param =
                    std::vector<HeuristicParameters>());
 
+  // Overload designed to expose the same interface as the `-x`
+  // command-line flag for out-of-the-box setup of exploration level.
+  Solution solve(unsigned exploration_level,
+                 unsigned nb_thread,
+                 const Timeout& timeout = Timeout(),
+                 const std::vector<HeuristicParameters>& h_param =
+                   std::vector<HeuristicParameters>());
+
   Solution check(unsigned nb_thread);
 };
 
diff --git a/src/utils/helpers.h b/src/utils/helpers.h
index 8a061ff3..e0917078 100644
--- a/src/utils/helpers.h
+++ b/src/utils/helpers.h
@@ -38,6 +38,24 @@ inline UserCost add_without_overflow(UserCost a, UserCost b) {
   return a + b;
 }
 
+inline unsigned get_depth(unsigned exploration_level) {
+  return exploration_level;
+}
+
+inline unsigned get_nb_searches(unsigned exploration_level) {
+  assert(exploration_level <= MAX_EXPLORATION_LEVEL);
+
+  unsigned nb_searches = 4 * (exploration_level + 1);
+  if (exploration_level >= 4) {
+    nb_searches += 4;
+  }
+  if (exploration_level == MAX_EXPLORATION_LEVEL) {
+    nb_searches += 4;
+  }
+
+  return nb_searches;
+}
+
 INIT get_init(std::string_view s);
 
 SORT get_sort(std::string_view s);