How to Play Cat's Cradle Solitaire

Cats cradle solitaire is a difficult solitaire game where you have to deplete the stock to win.

Cat's Cradle Solitaire Rules

| Players: 1 | Type: Solitaire | Supplies: 1 Deck |

Objective

The objective of Cat's Cradle is to empty the stock by building tableau piles in descending order and alternating color.

Setup

Deal 16 face-up cards in a four-by-four grid to form the 16 tableau piles. Place the remaining deck face down to form the stock.

Game Play

Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play onto another tableau pile; only one card may be moved at a time. To move a card from one tableau pile to another, it must be one rank lower and of the opposite color than the top card of the tableau pile it is being moved onto. Cards are ranked from highest to lowest as follows: king-queen-jack-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-ace.

You may only move a card from one tableau pile to another if both piles are on the same vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line; the piles do not have to be next to each other. For example, the 7 of diamonds could be placed onto the 8 of spades because they are on the same horizontal line, or the 7 of diamonds could be placed onto the 8 of clubs because they are on the same vertical line. Also, the 4 of clubs could be placed onto the 5 of hearts because they are on the same diagonal line.

When there are no more available moves you want to make within the tableau, deal a card from the stock, face up, to each empty tableau space. The game continues until you cannot make an empty space in the tableau or the stock is depleted.

To Win

Cat's Cradle is won if all cards are dealt from the stock to the tableau. If there are no more available moves and there are still cards in the stock without the ability to move more cards to the tableau, the game is lost.

Variation

An easier version of this game would allow kings to be played on aces.