FreeCell Players' Group -- not a competition -- testing the premise that each of the 32,000 different games is (theoretically) winnable.
Over several years, players from all over the world have contributed solving games, reporting difficult games, providing solutions to previously unsolved games, and sharing FreeCell Tips.
Now, however:
Dear AT&T Yahoo! GeoCities customer, We're writing to let you know that AT&T Yahoo! GeoCities, our free web site building service and community, is closing on October 26, 2009. On October 26, 2009, your GeoCities site will no longer appear on the Web, and you will no longer be able to access your GeoCities account and files.
So, for a short time yet, here, for the record, is what we have found: We have played all 32,000 games, and of those only one remains unsolved! Do not try to win 11982(22)! It has been found to be unsolveable. Note: there are two hidden games which are also impossible; check out -1(24) and -2(24)!).
Also Note: There is a fun way to "solve" 11982. Go to the very bottom of the page.Games listed below have all been solved by the FreeCell Players Group but were either originally listed as not won or sent in as the toughest games in their series. The number in parenthesis is the arbitrary "difficulty rating," the number of cards covering the Aces at start of game. This number has been chosen mainly because it is easy to calculate for each game. A more significant indicator of difficulty is a boldface number in brackets, the number of people who have reported that game as one of the toughest. Our goal is to have such a number (ranking) after 32 of the toughest games. Please email games which you have found very difficult to win to help us identify these games. Solutions for some of the hardest games are at the end of the page, and FreeCell Tips are scattered throughout.
Many thanks to everyone for their help. Dick Jesson, San Francisco
FreeCell Tip: FreeCell keeps track of the games you played. At any time you are in a game, press F4 to see games won and lost, percentage won, current and longest win and loss streaks.
FreeCell Tip: O.K., you knew about the statistics. Do you know how to avoid getting a loss on your statistics if you want to replay a game? While you still have at least one move left, hold down both SHIFT and CTRL and press F10. Hit ENTER to choose "Abort" from the box which appears. Make your move. All the cards will fly up to the top and you will be congratulated on winning.
FreeCell Tip Some games can be won without placing cards in the free cells. David Holty has won the following: 11(4), 361(11!), 3850(3), 5055(0), 9301(4), 9998(0), 11863(7), 16392(10!), 17871(12!), 19215(1), 19301(6), 22527(7), 22663(5), 26523( 14!), 27141(8), 27251(5), 27254(3), 27658(7). Has anyone found any others? 2366(5), 7276(16!) (Bilio Grzibowski); 8736(6) (Ken Slevin); 105(15!), 1508(19!), 2405(16!), 2441(13!), 3791(11), 3955, 4361(7), 4656(7), 4832(10), 4929(7), 5110(8), 5239(4), 5907(5), 6676(9), 6831(4), 7182(14!), 7496(12!), 7597(5), 8101(7), 8376(12!), 8711(14!), 9154(10), 9509(14!), 9579(10), 9967(8), 11332(10), 11746(13!), 11987(0), 12191(4), 12463(14!), 12996(10), 14916(6), 15669(8), 15965(7), 16074(4), 17110(8), 17125(11!), 17139(8), 17586 (10!), 17741(10!), 18737(3), 20200(12!), 20645(7-tough), 20740(8), 23328(4), 24147(16!), 25235(6), 25735(15!), 27341(9), 27890(13!), 30881(9), 31048(10!) (Taco Kamstra); 1693(14!), 1971(10), 2912(07), 3677(04), 4963(15!), 5310(09), 6132(05), 7114(11), 8929(07), 11009(06), 12695(06), 16033(07), 19349(10), 21227(07), 22213(02), 23870(05), 25930(05), 25938(09) (William Sheahan); 5413(8), 12696(9) (Bob Lodge, Taco Kamstra); 20493(11!), 27291(11!) 7701(14!) (Bob Lodge); 10909(16!) (Jerry Kopp); 18167(7) (Bob Lodge, Dick Jesson); 22968(2) Ben Rosen; 24003(5) Stan Lauskey; 17072(4), 22706(1) (Geoff Hudson, England); 21219(2), 21934(4), 22265(0), 22596(5), 22968(2), 24378(7), 27681(2) (Dick Jesson) more NFC games below
FreeCell Tip All these games, winnable without placing cards directly to the free cells, have been discovered by Ron Garland, Edmonton: 150(6), 759(10), 1978(7), 2514(2), 2569(11), 2949(6), 5055(0)*, 5696(7), 5773(7), 6434(7), 6636(3), 6676(9), 6717(5), 7115(5), 9255(8), 9294(10), 9362(12!), 9998(0)*, 10892(9), 11109(3), 11202(8), 11803(11), 11987(0)*, 12392(8)*, 12576(6), 14214(9), 14290(9), 14347(6), 14624(5), 15450(9), 15782(3), 16022(4), 16559(10), 17586(10), 17871(12!), 17990(9), 18026(8), 18089(12!), 18204(13!), 18427(7), 18552(9), 18776(11), 20216(10), 21314(14!), 21516(5), 21648(8), 22663(5)*, 23258(8), 24349(5), 25578(10), 26839(11), 26975(4), 30214(9), 30440(9), 30964(13!), 31816(4). *game can be solved without any actual use of the free cells (see tip below)
FreeCell Tip FreeCell contains only a fraction of the possible combinations of 52 cards in eight columns ("stacked" games like -1 and -2, which should come up randomly, don't). FreeCell Wizard is another, larger game which contains the rest. (But note: the first 32,000 games of FreeCell Wizard are not the same as Windows FreeCell games 1-32,000.) If you are able to control your addiction, go to FreeCell Wizard to download this larger game.
FreeCell Tip You have a red Ace covered by four cards, including the Two of Diamonds: will you need all four free cells to uncover the Ace, or will the Two fly up once the Ace goes? To reveal the suit of any covered Ace, place the arrow on that ace and click the right side of the mouse. Keyboard Players: hit the number of the column twice.
*FreeCell Tip Yes, 69 games, or about .2% of the 32,000, can be played without any use of the free cells. In these games it is possible to move two or more cards from column A to column B by placing cards in empty columns (not in the free cells) until you are moving only one from A to B. For a list of these games, how to set your game options so cards do not automatically go through the free cells, and much other useful and interesting FreeCell information, see fcfaq.
FreeCell Tip: Yes, you can play FreeCell without the mouse! Move the cards with the number keys. The columns down below are numbered from left to right, 1-8. The free cells are 0 and the Aces' cells are 9. E.g., to move the five of Hearts in column 2 to the six of Spades in column 7, type 27. King of Clubs in column 5 to free cell, type 50. Ace in column 3 to Aces column at top, type 39. To see the suit of an Ace in column 4, type 44. Similarly, to cancel a move, retype the column number you typed to begin the move. If you want to move a card from the free cells down, type 0 until that card is highlighted, then the number of the column to which you wish to move it. A card from a free cell to an Ace's cell, 0(0-0-0)9.
FreeCell Tip: I blame the fact that I am always thinking of at least three things at once (e.g., the cards I need to move to uncover the card to which I need to move some other cards so I can uncover the card I need to build another row) for the fact that I sometimes "mis-click." Then I get an annoying message, I have to remove the message, and I must reselect the move to do it over again. At any time you are in a game, press F5 (with Windows NT version you have to select "options" under "Game") to see some options which can speed up your play. If you deselect "Messages" (M+space bar), you will not get the "illegal move" message. Instead, the card you have selected remains highlighted, and all you have to do is re-click on or key in the correct destination.
FreeCell Tip: Dr. Peter Hall and others look for games where one can put up all the cards on the last move. It is possible to put all 52 cards up on the last move of 18492 and 22574. 50 cards go on the last move for numbers 4643 (Don Axtell), 26001 (Mike, Pennsylvania), and 29268 (three aces together in one column). If you find a game in which 50 or more cards can be put up on the last move, please report.
These games all start with at least three Aces at the top of columns, and 50 cards can go up on the last move: 785, 3446, 3546, 6831, 11165, 13196, 13271, 16377, 17753, 18337, 19005 (Rob Whitton), 19323, 23190, 23600, 26901, 31637 -- contributed by Jeff Bonus, Orange, CA
Solutions to some difficult games:
169 Dick Jesson, San Francisco: 6h-fc, Kd-fc, 5c-6d, Qs-fc, Jd-Qc, 9d-fc, Kd/Qs-7, Jd-7, 3h-fc, 4h-5c, 5d-6s, 6h-7s, 5c-6h, 2d-fc, 10c-Jd, 9d-10c, 6d-fc, 8s-9d, 10d-Jc, 9h-fc, Qh-Kc, 7h-8s, 6s-7h, 3h-4s-5d, 2h-fc, Js-Qh, 3c-4h, 10h-Js, 2d-3c, 6c-fc, Jc-8, 3c-4d, 4h up, 4d-5c, 3d-4s, 6c down, 5h-6c, 4c-5h, Jh-Qc, 3s up, 8d-1, 6c-7d, Qc-5, Ks/5s-fc, 6d/5s-7c, 7c-8d, 8c-fc, etc.
501 Dick Jesson, San Francisco: [keystrokes] 51, 52, 53, 40, 80, 58, 84, 80, 87, 87, 83, 0007, 60, 67, 63, 74, 54, 59, 09, 70, 27, 23, 72, 008, 67, 78, 70, 75, 25, 20, 27, 67, 25, 00006, 56, 05, 45, 48, 40, 47, 19, 12, 17, 10, 10, 0001, 0001, 01, 01, 34, etc.
617 There are usually different approaches to even difficult games. Note the two solutions to this toughie:
Barry Kersten, NL Ks to free cell, 10s on Jd, Qh on Kc, 2s to fc, Js on Qh, 10c on Jh, Kh to fc, Kh to empty column, Qs on Kh, Jh on Qs, 5h on 6c, Jd on Qc, 2c+4d to free cells, 3d on 4s, 2c on 3d, 2d to fc, 4h to ec, 5d to fc, 9h on 10c, 3c on 4h, 2d on 3c, 9d on 10s, 3s up, 3d to fc, 4s up, 4c on 5h, 3d on 4c, Qc on Kd, 7s to fc, etc. ...
Steve Munson, Southern California Ks to FC, 10s on Jd, 4h to FC, 5d on 6c, 9h on 10s, Jh on Qs, 3c to FC, 9d to FC, 3c to 2c, 3s on 4d, 4h to EC, 3s on 4h, 4d to FC, 3d to FC, 2d on 3s, Ks to EC, Qh & Js on Ks, 9d on 10c, 10s on Jh, Jd to FC, 4s on 5d, 4c up, 3d on 4s, Kd to FC, 10h on Jc, 10d on Js, 7d to FC, Jd to EC, 10c on Jd, Kh to FC, Kc to EC, 9c on 10h, 9s on 10d, Qd on Kc, 4d on 5c, 3s on 4d, 4h up, Jc on Qd, 7c to FC, 8s on 9d, 7d on 8s, 6s on 7d, 7c to EC, 6d on 7c, 5s on 6d, 4d on 5s, 5c up, Kh to EC, Qs on Kh, 5h on 6s, Qc to FC, 7s to FC
988 Dick Jesson, San Francisco: [keystrokes] 87 74 80 80 38 53 20 20 26 25 02 75 75 25 28 007 20 002 42 45 75 46 70 70 0007 37 30 003 37 30 36 38 18 03 23 29 32 68 28 51 57 17 02 12 16 13 23 002 51 50 52 12 01 61 40 64 42 43 04 03 64 65 81 84 32 83 86
1941 Sandy Wincek, New Berlin, WI: Kh to free cell; 5d to 6h; 7h, Kd, Kc, to fc; 8d to 9c to 10d; 10h to EC (empty column); 7h to 8s, 9c to 10h, 3&4h up, 4d to 5c, 6s to 7d, 8s to 9d, 10d to fc, 3d up, 6c to 7h, 7c to 8d, 5h to 6c, 4s to 5h, 8c to 9h ...
3685 Dick Jesson: (key-in moves) 10, 10, 71, 17, 18, 16, 10, 15, 20, 21, 02, 26, 12, 21, 21, 28, 87, 71, 41, 72, 75, 71, 04, 47, 41, 46, 40, 06, 51, 35, 82, 80, 84, 04, 85, 80, 38, 36, 76, 0(8s)7, 37, 23, 67, 68, 62, 69, 68
4023 Barry Kersten, NL: Js on Qh, 4d, 6h, 5d and 5h to FC, 8c on 9d, 6h on 7c, 8h to FC, 10h on Js, 10s on Jd, 4h to EC (empty column), 8h on 9c, 7c on 8h, 4h on 5c, Kd to EC, 5c on 6h, 4d on 5s, 3s on 4h, Jh to FC, 9s on 10h, Qc on Kd, Jh on Qd, 10s on Jh, 9d on 10s, 5c on 6d, 8h on 9s, 5s on 6h, 9c and 4s to FC, 10c on Jd, 9c to EC, 8d on 9c, Jc to FC, 5h to EC, 4s on 5h, 8s to FC, 2h on 3s, 7s on 8d, 7d on 8c, Jd on Qs, 3c up, 3h on 4s, 6s on 7d, 5d on 6s, etc...
8591 Barry Kersten, NL: 3s+4c+4h to FC, Qh on Ks, Js on Qh, 4c on 5d, 6c on 7d, 9h to FC, 3h on 4s, Kh to FC, 2h on 3c, 3s on 4d, 5d on 6c, 3h on 4c, 7s to FC, 3+4s up, Jd on Qc, 9s on 10h, 2c on 3h, 3c on 4d, Kh to EC, Qc on Kh, 8h on 9s, Jh on Qs, etc. ...
10692 Barry Kersten, NL: Jh to FC, Jd + 8d to FC, Qc on Kh, Jh on Qc, 5s on 6d, 7c to FC, Qd on Ks, Qc to empty column (EC), Kh to FC, 3s up, 4s up, 5s up, Jc on Qd, 10s on Jh, 5c on 6d, 8d on 9c, 7c on 8d, Js to FC, 9h on 10s, 8h to FC, 6s up, 6c on 7h, 8s on 9h, 7h on 8s, Kh to EC, Qs on Kh, Jd on Qs, 3d on 4c, 2c on 3d, 5d on 6c, 8c to FC, 4c on 5d, Kc to EC, Qd on Kc, 4h on 5c, 10c on Jd, 4d to FC, 6h on 7c, 8c to EC, 7d on 8c, 10h on Jc, 10d to FC, Js to EC, 10d on Js, 5c on 6h, 6d to FC, 3h to FC, 3c on 4h, 2h on 3c, 9d on 10c, Qh on Ks, 8c on 9d, Ks to EC, Js on Qh, 8h to EC, 5h to FC, 7s on 8h, Kd to EC, 9s on 10h!
13414 Dick Jesson, SF: 36, 80, 87, 10, 18, 14, 16, 18, 56, 50, 54, 34, 35, 37, 36, 30, 85, 83, 86, 84, 0006, 27, 23, 21, 32, 74, 73, 78, 71, 70, 78, 0007, 07, 58, 67, 50, 005, 65, 60, 06, 65, 60, 67, 06, 006, 87, 85, 25, 28, 28, 41, 48, 46
14212 Barry Kersten, NL: A up, 4c to FC, 6s on 7h, Qs on Kh, Ks to FC, 3+4c up, Ks to EC, Qd on Ks, 4d to FC, Jc on Qd, 10d on Jc, Jh on Qs, 9c on 10d, 5h on 6s, Jd on Qc, 4s on 5h, Qc to EC, 3h on 4s, 3s to FC, 8h on 9c, 3d to FC, 4h to FC, 5c to EC, 4h on 5c, 3s on 4h, 10c on Jd, 7s on 8h, Kh to EC, 5d on 6c, Js to FC, 2h on 3s, 6d on 7s, 10s on Jh, 8d on 9s, 5c on 6d, 6c to EC, 9d on 10s, Kd to EC, 7c on 8d, 9h on 10c, 10h to FC, Js to EC, 10h on Js, 9s on 10h, Qh to FC, 4s on 5d, 6s on 7d, 4s on 5h, 7h to FC, Qh on Kc, Kd to FC, 7h to EC, 6c on 7h, Kc to EC, 8s on 9d, 6h on 7c, 8c on 9h, 7h on 8s, 7d on 8c!
14310 Barry Kersten, NL: Ah up, Qc on Kd, Jd on Qc, Ks to FC, 6s on 7d, 10d on Jc, 6d to FC, Ks to EC, Qh on Ks, Jc on Qh, 7d on 8c, Kc + Kh to FC, 8h on 9c, 10h on Js, 10c on Jd, 5c to FC, 2d on 3c, Kh to EC, Qs on Kh, Jd on Qs, 3s to FC, 6d to EC, 5c on 6d, Qc+Kd to FC, 9d on 10c, 9s on 10d, 8h on 9s, 7c on 8h, 6d on 7c, 8s on 9d, 7h on 8s, 6c on 7h, Kd to EC, Qc on Kd, Jh on Qc, Kc to EC, Qd on Kc, Js on Qd etc.
17683 Dick Jesson, SF: (keyboard strokes) 80, 80, 80, 81, 81, 01, 08, 50, 50, 58, 50, 25, 25, 24, 02, 45, 26, 30, 34, 36, 37, 03, 03, 10, 19, 16, 16, 06, 20, 21, 02, 32, 30, 13, 10, 17, 13, 09, 0(Kh)1, 71, 87, 73, 70, 74, 72, 42, 0(Qd)7, 47, 49, etc.
18600 Dick Jesson, SF: 2d-3s, 2h-fc, Qc-Kh, Jd-Qc, 6d-7c, Qd-fc, 4h-5c, 3s-4h, 7s-fc, 9d-fc, 2h-3s, 9c-10d, 3/4/5d up, Jh-fc, 8c-9h, Jh-Qs, Qh-fc, 7d-8c, 6s-7d, 10c-Jh, 5h-6s, 9d-10c, 10c-Jd, 7s-col.7, Jh/Qs-fc, 6h-7s, 9s-10h, 5s-6h, Qs/Jh-col.5, 10c-Jh, 2c-fc, 8c-9d, 9h-fc, 9c-col.1, 10d-col.2, 9c-10d, 3h-col.1, 2c-3h, Kc-fc, 8h-9s, 4s-56, 8d-9c, 3h-4s, Kc-col.1, Qh-Kc, 7s-8d, 4h-5s, 7c-8h, Kd-fc, 10s-col.6, Ks-col.7, Qd-Ks, Jc-Qh, Js-Qd, 9h-10s, etc.
19633 Barry Kersten, Netherlands: As up, Ks+8h to Free Cell, 5c on 6d, 5h to FC, Ks to Empty Column, Qd on Ks, 6d on 7c, 4d on 5c, 10s on Jd, Kd to FC, 10c on Jh, 2h to FC, 10h to EC, 3s on 4d, 2h on 3s, 3h on 4s, 7s to FC, 8h to EC, 7s on 8h, 8s+9s to FC, Js on Qd, 10h on Js, 9s on 10h, 8h on 9s, 6d on 7s, Jh to EC, 9d on 10c, 8s on 9d, Jc to FC, 8c on 9h, 7h on 8s, Jd to EC, Kc to EC, Jd on Qc, 7c to FC, Qh on Kc, Jc on Qh, 8d to EC, 6s on 7h, 5h on 6s, 9c+Qs to FC etc.
19763 Barry Kersten, NL: Ah up, 7s to FC, 10h on Js, 3h on 4s, 5d on 6c, 7c to FC, Qs on Kh, 4s on 5d, Jc to FC, 6h to FC, Qd to EC, Jc on Qd, 5h to FC, 2s on 3h, 7s to EC, 6h to 7s, 3c to FC, 5c on 6h, Qh to FC, 10d on Jc, Qh on Ks, Js on Qh, 3s to FC, 10s on Jh, 9s on 10h, 9c on 10d, 3c up, Kh to EC, 4c up, 4h on 5c, 3s on 4h, Jh on Qs, 8s+8c to FC, 8d on 9c, 9h on 10s, 8s on 9h, 7d on 8s, 7c on 8d, Qc+Jd to FC, 6s on 7d, 5h on 6s, Kc to FC, etc.
24060 Dick Jesson: (keyboard strokes) 27, 24, 80, 28, 42, 48, 34, 38, 30, 30, 30, 50, 69, 59, 00009, 30, 003, 53, 50, 59, 005, 0005, 75, 70, 70, 73, 73, 78, 48, 0007, 0007, 40, 49, 23, 0004, 20, 24, 25, 14, 15, 13, 16, 02, 12, 85, 86, 81, 83, 01, 61, etc.
25995 Dick Jesson: (keyboard strokes) 21, 40, 40, 48, 46, 40, 45, 004, 63, 60, 60, 06, 64, 63, 61, 006, 006, 86, 80, 80, 85, 87, 37, 38, 31, 37, 38, 003, 007, 20, 24, 24, 34, 23, 83, 20, 23, 74, 73, 70, 78, 79, 68, 56, 57, 50, 53, etc.
30359 Ulli Paulin, SF: (keyboard strokes) 70, 87, 74, 75, 85, 82, 15, 71, 10, 17, 007, 47, 60, 26, 27, 20, 20, 21, 42, 47, 00007, 47, 20, 12, 19, 17, 27, 002, 002, 40, 40, 16, 18, 28, 32, 004, 30, 36, 34, 00006, 31, 30, 41, 59, 0009, 51, 50, 53, 58, 59, 19, 0009, 63, 62, 004, 64, 05, 65
30801 Barry Kersten, Netherlands: 3h on 4s, 9s to FC, 6h on 7c, 3s on 4d, 5c on 6h, 2s on 3h, 4h on 5c, 6s to FC, 8h on 9c, 8d to FC, 9s to EC (empty column), 8d on 9s, 7c on 8d, 3s on 4h, 4d to FC, Js to FC, 7h on 8s, 6s on 7h, 7+6d to FC, Kd to EC, 5d on 6s, 4d on 5s, Kd to FC, 6d to EC, 5s on 6d, 9c to EC, 3c + 4d + 3s up, 3h to FC, 4s+5s up, 5+6+7d up, Kd EC, Qc on Kd, Jd on Qc, 4c up, 9+5h to FC, Qd on Kc etc....
30897 Barry Kersten, Netherlands: 3d+3h+3s+2c to FC, Jc on Qh, 3s on 4h, 10c+8c to FC, 5s on 6d, 4c on 5h, 3h on 4c, 4h on 5s, 8d on 9c, 7s on 8d, 6d on 7s, 2h on 3s, Ks to EC (empty column), Qd on Ks, Jc on Qd, Kd to FC, 3c up, Kd to EC, Qc on Kd, Kc to FC, 5c to FC, Jh on Qd, 10h on Jc etc....
31404 Ulli Paulin, San Francisco: (keyboard strokes) 13, 10, 10, 50, 50, 59, 09, 10, 19, 14, 04, 71, 51, 81, 87, 84, 82, 002, 82, 80, 70, 78, 0008, 08, 70, 30, 30, 37, 0007, 07, 32, 35, 31, 009, 03, 23, 71, 63, 43, 20, 27, 47, 41, 51, 56, 05, 25, 20, 20, 65, 60, 67
31465 Walter Johnson, Southfield, MI: 3d, kc to free cells; 7s on 8d; 4s, 10s to fc; 8c on 9d, Qh on Ks, 10s down, 9d on 10s, 10h to FC; 4s, 3d to 5d; 3c to fc, 7d to 8c, 3h to fc, 6s on 7d, 3h on 4c, 3c on 2c, 2s on 3h, 5d on 6s, 2s on 3d; 4d, 8s to fc; 4d on 5s, Qd to fc; Kc, Qd down; 3h, 4c up; 8d on 9s; 2d, Kh to fc; Jc on Qd; 2d to 3s to 4d; 10 h to Jc, 9s to 10h, Kh down ....
11982 Hari, Bangalore, India: (keyboard strokes) 54, Press F3 to start a new game, quit the game, type in 11982 as the new game. Press F10(undo). The computer remembers that the last move was from column 5 to column 4, and so it "returns" the 3 of spades to column 5. Continue with: 24, 78, 20, 20, 20, 20, 28, 008, 02, 10, 10, 12, 16, 0002, 10, 17, 59, 87, 82, 01, 61, 29, 72, 60, 61, 06, 79, 80, 84, 83, 00003, 54, 56, 50, 56, 58, 005, 70, 71, 75, 05, 65, 31, 07, 30, 34, 31, 37, 39, 09, 57, 27, 0002, 80, 85, 42, 45, 85, 25, 46, 41, 01, 002, 42, 62, 62