Tom tried solving the problem.
Translation:
Tom tried solving the problem. → Tom tried to solve the problem.
There’s a subtle but significant difference between the two. The first suggests that solving the problem is something Tom can do, and he’s experimenting with doing it to see what happens. The second, which is more likely, indicates that it’s not clear whether he will be able to solve the problem.
Given that it’s very likely that the german is a translation of the english, it’s worth noting that german doesn’t differentiate between these two meanings.
But I must say that the latter interpretation is also the more likely one in german, especially because “solving a problem” is usually not something you can simply do just to see what happens.
Tom versuchte sich an der Lösung des Problems. would be closer to variant A. Legit German, but a bit bulky.