FreeCell

Our Verdict

The thinking person's solitaire. FreeCell rewards planning and patience over luck, making it the right choice when you want a puzzle that's almost always winnable if you're careful enough.

How to Play FreeCell

1. 1Cards are dealt across eight tableau columns — the four leftmost columns get 7 cards each, the four rightmost get 6 cards each. All cards are face-up.
2. 2You can move one card at a time. A card can be placed on a tableau column only if it is one rank lower and the opposite color of the column's top card (e.g., red 6 on black 7).
3. 3Free cells are your buffer — drag any single card to an empty free cell to hold it temporarily. You have four free cells, so use them wisely.
4. 4Empty tableau columns act as extended free cells — you can park a card there, but filling columns reduces your maneuverability.
5. 5Move Aces to the foundation piles as soon as they're available. Continue building each foundation pile by suit in order: A, 2, 3... up to K.
6. 6Win by moving all 52 cards to the four foundation piles. If you run out of legal moves with cards still in the tableau, the deal is lost.