Cruel Solitaire 😈 – A Devilishly Fun Card Game

Introduction 🎉

Welcome to Cruel Solitaire, a card game that’s far more fun than its name implies! In this playful twist on solitaire, you’ll find yourself challenged and entertained as you shuffle through the deck. Don’t let the name “Cruel” scare you – the only thing cruel here is how addictive it is. 😉 Whether you’re a seasoned card shark or a casual player, Cruel Solitaire offers quick rounds of strategic fun that will keep you coming back for more. Best of all, you can play it right now in your browser on desktop 💻 or mobile 📱, no downloads needed. Get ready to deal the cards and enjoy a unique solitaire adventure! 🎊

How to Play 🃏

New to Cruel Solitaire? No worries! This game is easy to pick up. Here’s a simple rundown of the rules and gameplay:

• The Setup: Cruel Solitaire uses one standard 52-card deck (no jokers). To start, the four Aces are removed and placed at the top as the foundation piles (these are the goal piles where you build each suit from Ace to King). The remaining 48 cards are dealt face-up into 12 tableau piles, with 4 cards in each pile. That means you can see all the cards from the get-go – no hidden cards here! 🙌

• Goal: Your objective is to move all cards onto the foundation piles, building each suit up in ascending order from Ace ♦, 2 ♦, 3 ♦ ... all the way to King. To win, every card must end up on those foundations. Keep your eye on those foundation stacks 🏆 – filling them up is how you beat the game!

• Moving Cards: You can only move one card at a time, always the top card of any tableau pile. There are two types of moves:

  • To a Foundation: If a tableau card is the next in sequence for a foundation (same suit and one rank higher than the foundation’s top card), you can move it up. For example, if you have a ♥5 on a tableau and the ♥4 is the top of a foundation, you can move that ♥5 to the foundation. Aim to send cards to the foundations whenever possible – that’s the path to victory! 🏅
  • To another Tableau Pile: You can place a card onto another tableau pile if it’s one rank lower than the top card of that pile and of the same suit. In other words, you build downwards in suit on the tableau. For example, you could move a ♣5 onto a ♣6, or a ♥Queen onto a ♥King. This helps free up higher cards and uncover new moves. Remember, you can’t move sequences or stacks – just one card at a time, making each move a careful choice.

• Empty Piles: If you clear a tableau pile (i.e. move all its cards away), that pile stays empty. Unlike some solitaire games, you cannot fill an empty space with any card. An empty pile is essentially a temporary gap – don’t worry, the cards will be redistributed soon (more on that next!). So plan your moves knowing you can’t directly reuse an empty column until a redeal. 🤔

• The Cruel Twist – Redeal 🔄: Here’s where Cruel Solitaire gets its name and unique flavor! Whenever you run out of moves or get stuck, you can redeal the cards in the tableau. Simply click the “Deal” (or stock) button, and the game will gather all remaining cards from the tableau piles and redeal them into piles of 4 cards each. No shuffling happens during a redeal – the order of cards is preserved, just distributed differently, hopefully opening up new moves. You can use this redeal as many times as you need until you either win or have no moves left. This unlimited redeal is a lifesaver (or is it a deal-saver? 😜) when you’re stuck, but here’s the catch: if you perform a redeal without making any moves, you’ll end up with the same layout. So try to make at least one move before hitting that redeal button to truly shake things up!

• Winning the Game: You win when all 52 cards are neatly stacked in the foundation piles from Ace through King. 🎉 Every card finds its home, and you can proudly celebrate victory. If you reach a point where even after a redeal no moves are possible, then unfortunately that round is over (you’ve hit a dead end, which can happen). But don’t let that discourage you – hit “New Game” and try again! Each shuffle is a new chance to outsmart this “cruel” game.

Quick Tips: Use undo and hint features (if available) to improve your strategy, and remember that persistence is key. Cruel Solitaire may sometimes feel, well, cruel – but that just makes winning even sweeter! 😎

History of Cruel Solitaire 📜

Cruel Solitaire has an interesting little history behind it. It’s actually a variant of an older patience game known as Perseverance. The name Perseverance gives a clue about the gameplay – you needed patience and persistence to win, which is true for Cruel as well. The exact origins of Perseverance (and thus Cruel) trace back to classic card game collections, but the modern popularity of Cruel really took off in the digital age.

The big break for Cruel Solitaire came in 1990 when Microsoft introduced it to millions of PC users. Cruel was included as a game in the Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows 3.0 – a collection of fun little games for the Windows operating system. Microsoft basically took this lesser-known card game and made it available on every Windows 3.0 machine, and players loved it! It quickly became one of the popular solitaire variations from that pack. Many ’90s kids and office workers discovered Cruel on their computers and were both charmed and vexed by its tricky gameplay. 😅

Who created Cruel Solitaire? Since it’s based on a classic card game, there isn’t a single known inventor for the card version. However, the digital version in the Microsoft pack was developed by the Microsoft team (as part of their push to provide more casual games on Windows). The name “Cruel” itself might have been chosen to highlight the game’s difficulty or mischievous nature – it certainly got people’s attention! Over the years, Cruel Solitaire has been remade and offered on many platforms. Today, you can find it on various websites, apps, and of course right here on SolitaireX in a convenient online format. 🎮

From its humble beginnings in card decks of old to its virtual presence on modern devices, Cruel Solitaire has stood the test of time. It’s a testament to how enduring and fun solitaire games can be, generation after generation. If you’re a fan of FreeCell or other single-deck solitaire games, you’ll appreciate the historical charm and challenge of Cruel Solitaire.

Play Anywhere – Desktop or Mobile 📱💻

One great thing about Cruel Solitaire on SolitaireX is that it’s available to play on any device. Stuck at your desk? Boot it up on your computer 💻. On the move or lounging on the couch? Grab your smartphone or tablet 📱 and play a quick game. The game is optimized for both desktop and mobile experiences, so you get smooth, full-screen card-slinging action wherever you are. No installations or downloads are required – just open the site and start playing instantly. It’s perfect for a quick brain break or a relaxed session anytime, anywhere!

More FreeCell-Style Games 🔗

Love Cruel Solitaire and craving more? You’re in luck! Cruel is just one of many awesome solitaire games in the same family as FreeCell (open-layout, strategic solitaire games). There’s a whole collection of similar card games waiting for you. Be sure to check out our FreeCell-style solitaire games collection for more fun. You’ll find titles like Simple Simon, Flower Garden, Crescent Solitaire, and many others that offer new twists and challenges. 🎴 Expand your solitaire repertoire and discover new favorites – all for free, of course!

(Psst... each game in that collection is also playable on desktop and mobile, just like Cruel! So you can hop from one game to another with ease.)

Ready to Play? 🎮

Now that you know the ropes, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Are you ready to take on the “cruel” challenge and emerge victorious? Shuffle the cards, plan your moves, and see if you can beat this captivating card game. Cruel Solitaire may tease your brain and test your patience, but the thrill of winning is oh-so-rewarding. 😁

Go ahead – deal a new game and start playing now! May the luck of the draw be in your favor, and most importantly, have fun. Good luck and enjoy Cruel Solitaire! 🎉