How to play FreeCell

The goal

The layout

• All cards are dealt face up into eight columns.
• Top left are the free cells. Each can hold any one card for a while.
• Top right are the four foundations, marked “A”. Each builds up by suit from the Ace.

Moving cards

• In the columns, build down in alternating colors: a red 6 can go on a black 7.
• Any card can go into an empty column or an empty free cell.
• You can move a run of cards at once if you have room to shuffle it: up to (empty free cells + 1) × 2 for each empty column. Moving into an empty column doesn’t count that column.
• Cards on a foundation stay there.

Controls

• Drag a card or run to move it.
• Double-tap a card to send it to the best spot: a foundation first, then a column, then a free cell.
• Cards that are safe to play go up to the foundations automatically.
• Undo takes back your last move along with any automatic plays that followed it.

Difficulty

• Classic FreeCell gives you 4 free cells. Choose 3, 2 or 1 in New game for a tougher game. Cells you don’t get are shown with a lock.
• Fewer cells also means shorter runs can be moved at once.
• Your records are kept separately for each number of cells.

Game numbers

• Every deal has a number from 1 to 32,000, the same as the classic Windows FreeCell. Nearly all of them can be won.
• New game lets you pick a random deal, restart this one, or type a number to play a specific deal, with however many free cells you choose.

Winning

• There’s no score in FreeCell. Try to win in fewer moves or less time. Your best time and fewest moves are saved.
• If no moves are left, a note appears: undo a few moves or start a new game.

Questions

Strategy guides