Clock Solitaire
Thirteen piles in a clock face. Send every card to its hour before the fourth King turns up.
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How to play Clock Solitaire
Clock patience is the simplest solitaire ever invented and the only one with no decisions at all: thirteen piles laid out like a clock face, each card sent to the hour that matches its rank. You win if you turn over all 52 cards before the fourth King appears, which happens about once every hundred deals.
Rules
- Fifty-two cards are dealt face down into thirteen piles of four — twelve around a clock face and one in the middle.
- The middle pile is the Kings.
- Turn the top card of the middle pile and tap to send it under the pile matching its rank: Ace to one o'clock, Jack to eleven, Queen to twelve, King to the middle.
- Then turn the top card of the pile it went to, and keep going.
- The game ends when the fourth King comes up and the middle pile has no face-down card left.
- You win only if every card is face up when that happens.
Tips to win more often
- There are no decisions in Clock patience, so treat it as a quick coin flip between longer games.
- Watch how many Kings have appeared — three Kings early almost always means a short game.
- It is a genuinely useful way to teach children card ranks and the clock face.
- Your odds are about 1 in 100, so finishing one is worth a screenshot.
- Shorter than a coffee queue: the whole deal takes about two minutes.
Clock Solitaire at a glance
| Deck | 1 deck (52 cards) |
|---|---|
| Layout | 13 piles of 4 in a clock face |
| Decisions | None — the deal plays itself |
| Difficulty | Pure luck |
| Winnable deals | About 1 in 100 (1.2%) |
Playing on a phone or Chromebook
The board resizes to whatever screen you are on. Drag a card with your finger, or simply tap it and it moves to the first place it legally fits. On a keyboard, N starts a new game, U undoes, H gives a hint.
More free solitaire games
Klondike Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, FreeCell Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire, TriPeaks Solitaire, Golf Solitaire — or see all twelve on the solitaire hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any skill in Clock solitaire?
None at all. Every move is forced, so the outcome is decided the moment the cards are shuffled.
What are my chances of winning?
Roughly 1 in 100. The game is lost whenever the fourth King appears before the last card is turned.
Where do Kings go?
Kings go to the centre pile, which is why drawing the fourth King ends the game.
Why is it also called hospital patience?
Because it needs no thought at all, it was a traditional way to pass time while unwell or waiting.
Is Clock solitaire good for children?
Yes — it teaches card ranks and the clock face, and a round takes only a couple of minutes.
Can I undo in Clock patience?
Yes, undo works here too, although with no decisions to make it only rewinds the shuffle.