The Solitaire Shuffle

Solitaire is a game, puzzle, mild therapy, and an exercise in patience all rolled into one

I’ve always enjoyed playing Solitaire. Back in the days of Windows 3.11, then Windows 95 (and later, a nifty CD-ROM of different Solitaire games), I played the game a lot. Next to Jill of the Jungle and Lemmings, Solitaire was my most-played game (remember when we wrote about DOS? It seems like a lifetime ago).

After what has been a very rough few years physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the game again. At first, I played with a deck of cards. Then, I discovered some online versions that worked out fine. At some point, the nostalgia bug bit me, and I decided to look into getting an old CD-ROM I owned, Hoyle Solitaire & Mahjong, working on my PC. No, it’s not the one with the “throwing cards” mini-game. It’s just Solitaire (and Mahjong) with a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere.

It didn’t take long. I installed VirtualBox and Windows 95 on my Windows 11 machine (before the update killed it). Then I simply installed the game in the virtual environment from the CD. On my old Windows 10 laptop, it just worked when I put the CD in (I knew it would, because that’s how I play Lemmings most of the time). It was fun, and I played it extensively. Now, I play at least five or so different types of Solitaire every day. I was disappointed with the lack of a good, garbage-free version of the game in Windows 11 (which is a moot point now, since I switched to Linux Mint recently for the reason I mentioned earlier). So revisiting my favorite Solitaire CD-ROM was a no-brainer. It helped me feel calm, less overwhelmed, and more focused. I wanted to know why.

But what is it about solitaire that is so appealing? Why did the computer version of it get so popular? Are there really any mental health benefits of playing the game? And why on earth is it so gosh darn difficult to win most variations?

I decided to find out.

Playing a (losing) hand of ‘Freecell’ in Internet Archive’s Windows 3.1 emulator.

How digital solitaire helped people learn how to use a mouse

When you think about solitaire, do you picture a series of different, challenging games that are more about patience and play than about winning, or do you think of “that card game on the computer you play when you get bored? Regardless of your answer, solitaire is huge, and it’s everywhere.

My favorite part about Solitaire history (and I’m pulling from pre-2022 sources as much as possible here) is that a lot of it says stuff like “nobody knows where it came from originally” or “no one quite knows how it started.” I’m paraphrasing here, but there’s a deep uncertainty about it. One thing is well known, though: that Edmond Hoyle has the definitive word on the rules of many of its variants, despite Hoyle having almost nothing to do with Solitaire itself. He was just a big rules guy. Even the Founding Fathers enjoyed a few card games. But let’s travel forward to the 20th century, when Klondike solitaire became part of computing history.

The only nice thing you’ll ever hear me say about Microsoft is that they’re largely responsible for bringing the computerized version of solitaire to home PCs. It was a pack-in for Windows 3.0. Believe it or not, there was a time when the mouse was a very new, somewhat confusing concept for many people. That was in 1990. Before that (early 80s), Atari 8-bit computers and Macs had their own versions of Klondike, each programmed by different people. But that Microsoft version really took off.

In 1988, a guy named Wes Cherry interned at Microsoft. Cherry was surprised to learn their computers didn’t have virtual card games like the one on his Mac at home. So he made one. He wrote the code for Klondike, his then-girlfriend (Leslie Kooy) designed some of the cards, and designer Susan Kare made the rest of the deck. He threw it on the company server. From there, a program manager noticed it and decided to include it in the official version to be released in 1990. According to a 2016 Mental Floss interview with Cherry, he originally included a “boss key” to let players quickly exit the program if their supervisors caught them playing. Microsoft made him take it out.

The game served another purpose, though: along with Minesweeper, it was also used to help people get used to Windows’ drag-and-drop interface instead of using the command line for everything.

Six types of Solitaire that are better than the usual suspects, and some tips for playing Solitaire online.

We’ve firmly established that I love a good game of Solitaire. Klondike is always fun for a few hands. Trust me; you know this one:

It’s fun, but it’s like vanilla ice cream. A lot of people love it, but there are so many more, varied flavors out there (although the three-card-draw variant does make it a bit more fun). Here are six of our favorites:

Playing a (losing) hand of ‘Golf’ solitaire.

Golf: This is probably my favorite version of solitaire. It’s simple, but can be very tough. It’s basically a building-up or building-down game on a single waste like. Some versions let you build on Kings, some don’t. It also has several variations that keep things interesting, and a typical game lasts only a few minutes unless you decide to really take your time. It’s difficult to win but extremely fun.

Playing a (losing) hand of ‘Nestor’ in Linux

Nestor: Nestor is a deceptive game. It looks simple, but it’s pretty devious. Okay, it’s a tile-matching game using cards instead of tiles. But that’s what makes it fun. This one is tough to win, but well worth playing. I recommend using physical cards over online/computerized versions, just because it’s more fun (in my opinion) to “tile-match” that way. If you do want a digital version, the best ones I’ve played are on Sierra’s Hoyle Solitaire and on the PySol for Linux.

Playing a (losing) hand of ‘Scorpion’ in Linux.

Scorpion: People do love their arachnids. Spider is an incredibly popular version of solitaire that can get pretty tough if you’re using all the suits. If you’re sick of traditional Spider Solitaire or just want to be squashed by the game instead of the other way around, try Scorpion. It’s a challenge, and you’re probably not going to win, but half the fun is seeing where the cards take you.

Playing a long (losing) hand of ‘Colorado’ solitaire in Linux; yes, it took 15 minutes.

Colorado: If you’re up for a challenge and you’re okay with never really winning, Colorado solitaire has what you’re looking for. This one requires two decks and has you making both Ace-up and King-down piles. It is frustrating as H-E-double hockey sticks, but it’s fun to give yourself a challenge. Hopefully, I’ll win one of these days.

Playing a (los…wait, I won? What!?) hand of ‘Athena’ in Linux.

Athena: This is an interesting variation of Klondike that features face-up and face-down cards interspersed with each other on the tableau. It’s fascinating to see that on a solitaire tableau. It also uses a three-card draw for the reserve pile, which makes for a nice challenge and a somewhat different approach to tactics than you’d use in a traditional game of Klondike. I play this one almost as often as Golf. Winning it somehow feels like an accomplishment.

Playing a (losing) hand of Canfield in Linux.

Canfield: This one is tough, but not as tough as Colorado or 40 Thieves. In the UK, it was called “Demon,” and for good reason: it’s pretty devilish. In the US, a casino owner named Richard Canfield turned this variant into a gambling game. I think it’s pretty fun and quite challenging. Hoyle’s book had some great rules for it, but you can play it online, as it might make for an easier game.

Eight solutions to the tedium of online Solitaire

Playing anything online can come with its own set of challenges. Sometimes playing solitaire games online is a bit of a crapshoot. We’ve all probably seen (or, perhaps, used) one of those “play games and earn money” apps. You know the ones I’m talking about: they have a weird look to them, and they all seem sort of scammy while being increasingly AI-generated.

Yeah, solitaire has unfortunately fallen into that trap. If there isn’t some shady site out there promising to help you “earn money by playing,” then there’s an issue. Most of these, like Solitaire Cash, are a scam. Go figure. Even the “top ten” lists of the “best ones” are also likely pointing to scams. Just look at the data policies and user reviews of most of these apps on their respective stores. My advice is to steer clear.

Aside from these, there are a ton of other problems with trying to play digital Solitaire in 2026. Ads, ads, ads galore. AI-generated slop. Memberships. XP and gambling (looking at you, Windows 11). Lack of variety (it’s all Spider, Klondike, Pyramid, and FreeCell).

I offer eight solutions to this problem:

1. Get yourself a few decks of good playing cards, grab a Hoyle gaming book or browse an online resource like Politaire, and learn to play a few of the games manually. Sit down at a nice, clear table. Put on your favorite tunes. Learn to shuffle, then play as much of any game as you like. The bonus is you get the tactile sensation of physical cards, and you can cheat as much as you like, if you’re so inclined. Who’s gonna judge ya?
2. Use a secure browser with an adblocker if you’re playing online. Be very careful about which sites you choose. Some of them are after much more than stats and fake trophies for their players. Solitaired and Politaire (linked above) are both great sites for getting your fix, but I prefer Politaire or desktop solitaire games (more on that in a bit). Your mileage may vary. Solitaired is very polished, but some folks may not like it because they use AI to generate trophies and advertise it as a selling point for “solving games.” I mean, what’s the point in playing if you’re just going to use AI to cheat? The site debuted (and was mostly coded) in 2019, so the games themselves don’t appear to be sloppy AI-generated code (in fact, they work very well on desktop and mobile).
3. Install an old version of the software on your computer or use a Virtual Machine. I happened to own a CD-ROM version of Sierra’s Hoyle Solitaire & Mahjong that I’ve had since about 1998. It works just fine in a Virtual Machine environment running Windows 95. Some versions of the software might work in older versions of Windows, but it will likely not work in Windows 11. I’m certain the software is available somewhere. No, I won’t tell you where. This is my current preferred method for playing on a computer when I’m in a nostalgic mood and up for a major challenge.
4. Build your own digital solitaire app or browser-based version of the game. Apparently, there are plenty of open-source versions that let you replace the cards with your own images. That’s pretty cool and something we’ll explore in a bit.
5. Download a Solitaire app that doesn’t have built-in ads, doesn’t want to collect your data, and doesn’t cost anything. Good luck finding one that isn’t just Klondike. Failing that, you can always pay for Microsoft’s Solitaire app. It’s only $20. Nah, I’m just kidding. It’s not worth it unless it’s a free pack-in for the OS and doesn’t have all that XP and “Challenges” nonsense, not to mention nightmarish unskippable video ads that break up the game’s flow.
6. If you’re using Linux, grab PySol or Aisle Riot. Both have a ton of games, play very well, run locally, and don’t have any AI, ads, or other nonsense in them. It’s honestly my preferred way to play on a desktop, especially when I don’t want to fiddle around with virtual machines.
7. Get your solitaire fix vicariously by watching me play on my YouTube channel. Yep; my channel is now an archive for my solitaire games (and a bit of NES/DOS and music from on occasion).
8. Give up and play Mahjong, Mega Man, or Lemmings instead. You know you want to play more Lemmings …

Now, if you go for the “play the game online” option, keep in mind that you’re going to run into a lot of AI-generated garbage. If that’s your thing, then by all means, have at it.

Of course, you can always choose secret option #7: building your own game.

Solitaire is great, but playing it online leaves much to be desired. Unless you’re cool with AI slop, a bunch of ads, paying for a subscription, and those ridiculous “challenges” that a lot of modern apps seem to insist upon.

There was one I played (ahem, Microslop, ahem) that had a ridiculous XP system, ads galore, and constant begging for a subscription. I remember when Freecell and Klondike were part of Windows. I don’t want that.

I want my own game, with my own card deck design. So, what’s a coding and solitaire enthusiast/hobbyist to do? Go to Claude or Gemini and have them help vibe code something? Nah.

I’m going old school. I scoured GitHub for some ready-made JavaScript code that I could modify with my limited coding skills. This way, I can learn something while also customizing it myself. After looking around a bit, I found an online tutorial from 8 years ago that looked promising.

So, the plan right now is to learn how to make a browser-based game, complete with Tedium-themed cards.

We’ll update you as soon as it’s ready.