Does Clock Solitaire Have Any Strategy?

Clock Solitaire is a game of pure chance. There is no choice to make once the cards are dealt, so there is no strategy to learn. This page explains why, and what you can still enjoy about it.

Why there is no strategy

The 52 cards are dealt face down into 13 piles of four: twelve piles are the hours of a clock and the 13th, for Kings, sits in the centre. You turn the top card of the centre pile, put it face up beside the pile that matches its rank, and then turn the top card of that pile. Each card tells you exactly where to go next, so there is never a decision.

When you win and lose

The game ends when the fourth King reaches the centre. If every card is face up by then, you win. If any card is still face down, you lose. Because the shuffle decides it, simple arithmetic says that about one random deal in 13 is a win.

New games and the Daily Challenge on Solitaire Play use only deals that are certain to be won, so you can always reach the end with every card face up.

Why people still play it

Watching the piles fill and counting the Kings that have come out is the whole game, and it makes a quiet, short break. The only thing you do is tap a pile to turn the next card. If you want a game where choices matter, see which solitaire game to play first or read the Clock guide. You can play Clock now.

Frequently asked questions