How to Play Grandfather's Clock Solitaire

Grandfather's Clock Solitaire Rules

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

Objective

The objective of Grandfather's Clock is to build the foundation piles in ascending order until the top card of each pile corresponds with the numbers of an analog clock in the correct position.

Setup

Remove the 9 of clubs, 10 of hearts, jack of spades, queen of diamonds, king of clubs, 2 of hearts, 3 of spades, 4 of diamonds, 5 of clubs, 6 of hearts, 7 of spades, and 8 of diamonds from the deck. Using these twelve cards, form the twelve foundation piles in a circle, resembling a clock dial. Place the 9 of clubs at the top of the circle at the 12 o'clock position, the 10 of hearts will be at the 1 o'clock position, and continue placing the ranks in ascending order in a circle until the 8 of diamonds is placed at the 11 o'clock position. Deal the remaining deck into eight tableau piles, each with five face-up cards, splayed downward.

Game Play

Foundation piles are built in ascending order and in suit. To add a card to a foundation pile, it must be one rank higher and of the same suit as the top card of the pile it is being moved to. An ace may be played on a king to continue the sequence. The foundation piles at the 1, 2, 3, and 4 o'clock positions are built up to five cards, including the card it starts with; all other foundation piles are built up to four cards, including the card it starts with. The completed foundation piles should represent an analog clock, with the queen representing 12 o'clock at the top, ace representing 1, 2-10 representing their face value, and the jack representing 11.

The top card of each tableau pile is available for play either onto a foundation pile or onto another tableau pile. Only one card may be moved at a time. Tableau piles may be built in descending order, regardless of suit. You may move the top card of one tableau pile onto another tableau pile as long as the card being moved is one rank lower than the top card of the pile it is being moved onto. Kings may be played on aces to continue the sequence. When a tableau pile becomes empty, it may be filled by any available card. When there are no more available moves, the game is over.

To Win

Grandfather's Clock is won if all cards are built onto the foundation piles, resembling the same numbers on an analog clock; since the queen represents 12, it should be at the top of the circle, then an ace underneath it, diagonally to the right, and so on until a jack, which represents 11, is underneath the queen diagonally to the left. If there are no more available moves and the foundation piles are not complete, the game is lost.