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Forty Thieves Solitaire: Free Online, Two Packs, Large Cards

Forty Thieves is a classic two-pack solitaire (also called Napoleon at St Helena): forty cards are dealt face up into ten columns, and you build down in suit while turning the stock one card at a time, once through only. It is famously hard, and most deals cannot be won however well you play, so we only offer the 200 deals our solver program has won: every game here can be won. Ours is free, plays in your browser with no download or sign-up, with large, clear cards, a “Larger print” button, unlimited Undo and Hint, and no time limit.

Play forty thieves solitaire

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How to play forty thieves solitaire

  1. Build eight foundations (two for each suit) from Ace up to King, in the spaces at the top right. Safe cards go up on their own.
  2. In the ten columns, put a card on one exactly one higher of the same suit: the 6 of hearts on the 7 of hearts. Any card can go in an empty column.
  3. Cards move one at a time. As a shortcut, a run in suit moves together when there is room to move it card by card: 2 cards with one empty column, 4 with two.
  4. Tap the stock (top left) to turn one card onto the waste. You go through the stock only once, so think before you turn.
  5. Win by getting all 104 cards up to the foundations.
  6. Tap a card to pick it up, then tap where it should go. Tap it again, or double-click it, to send it to the best place. You can also drag.
  7. Keyboard: arrow keys move between the piles, Enter picks up the bottom card (Up arrow adds the cards above it), Enter on another pile puts it there, Enter twice sends it to the best place, U undoes, Escape cancels.

My forty thieves solitaire stats

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    How to play

    1. Build eight foundations (two for each suit) from Ace up to King, in the spaces at the top right. Safe cards go up on their own.
    2. In the ten columns, put a card on one exactly one higher of the same suit: the 6 of hearts on the 7 of hearts. Any card can go in an empty column.
    3. Cards move one at a time. As a shortcut, a run in suit moves together when there is room to move it card by card: 2 cards with one empty column, 4 with two.
    4. Tap the stock (top left) to turn one card onto the waste. You go through the stock only once, so think before you turn.
    5. Win by getting all 104 cards up to the foundations.
    6. Tap a card to pick it up, then tap where it should go. Tap it again, or double-click it, to send it to the best place. You can also drag.
    7. Keyboard: arrow keys move between the piles, Enter picks up the bottom card (Up arrow adds the cards above it), Enter on another pile puts it there, Enter twice sends it to the best place, U undoes, Escape cancels.

    Who it’s for: Grown-ups and seniors who like a long, thoughtful game; one of the harder solitaires. Sound is off unless you turn it on, there is no time limit, and “Pause” stops the clock.

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    Forty Thieves solitaire tips and strategy

    • Empty a column as early as you can. With no free cells, an empty column is the only spare space you get, and it doubles the run you can move.
    • Look at all ten columns before you turn a card from the stock. You only go through the stock once, so make every useful move first.
    • Free the Aces and 2s: they are buried in the columns at the start, and the foundations can’t begin without them.
    • Avoid building long runs on top of low cards you will need soon. A 3 under a run of seven cards is very hard to get back.
    • When two copies of a card could take your card, choose the one in the column you want to clear or keep short.
    • Undo is unlimited, so a deal that goes wrong can be rewound and tried another way.

    Print a large print sudoku or a large print word search, or try the daily puzzles, which print as a PDF with answers.

    Questions

    Can every game of Forty Thieves be won?

    Every deal we offer can. Not every Forty Thieves deal can be won, so our solver program played thousands of deals and we only use the 200 it won. Each has a number, so you can replay one or share it with a friend. Our solver won only about one deal in eight of those it tried, which is why Forty Thieves has its reputation. If you get stuck, Undo is unlimited.

    Why is it called Forty Thieves?

    Nobody knows for certain; the forty cards dealt at the start are the usual explanation. It is also known as Napoleon at St Helena, from the old story that Napoleon played patience in exile.

    How many cards can I move at once?

    Officially one. The page lets you move a run in suit in one go when you could do it one card at a time through empty columns: one card with no empty column, two with one, four with two.

    Is Forty Thieves good for seniors?

    It was made with seniors in mind: big card numbers and suits, a “Larger print” button for even bigger cards, no time limit (the clock is only for your own record), unlimited undo, hints, a pause button and no pop-ups. Sound is off unless you turn it on.

    Is it free? Do I need to sign up or download anything?

    It is free and plays in your web browser on a computer, tablet or phone. There is nothing to download and no account. Your stats are kept in this browser only. A few adverts on the page, kept well away from the game, pay for the site.

    Does it work on a tablet or phone?

    Yes. Tap or drag with a finger on a tablet or phone, or use a mouse. It also plays with the keyboard alone (see “How to play”). Turn a phone sideways for more room.

    If you like Forty Thieves solitaire, try

    More: Brain games for seniors: a guide for families and carers

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