Spaces Solitaire

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About Spaces Solitaire

Spaces Solitaire is a patience puzzle built around gaps rather than stacks. The whole pack is dealt face up into four rows, and each row is left with one empty space. Nothing is hidden and there is no stock to draw from, so the entire problem sits in front of you from the first moment. The aim is to end with one suit per row, running in ascending order. A card may only be moved into a space when the card immediately to its left is the same suit and lower in face value, which means every gap you fill also decides where the next gap opens. Sessions tend to be quiet and thoughtful, with long pauses to trace a chain of moves before committing to one. Spaces Solitaire rewards planning several steps ahead more than quick reflexes, and it plays as much like a sliding puzzle as a card game.

How to Play Spaces Solitaire

Play with the mouse: click a card you want to relocate, then click the empty space you want it to occupy, or drag it straight there. On a touchscreen, tap the card and then the gap. A move is only accepted when the card to the left of the space matches the suit and sits lower in value, so check the neighbour before you commit.

Tips and Tricks

Before moving anything, work out which single card each of the four gaps will accept, based on the suit and value of its left-hand neighbour. Often only one or two legal moves exist, and spotting them saves guesswork.
Pay attention to where a move leaves the new gap, not just which card you place. Filling a space always opens another one, and a gap stranded next to an unhelpful card does you no good.
Give priority to moves that free a card blocking a row you are already building, since pulling it out creates a space exactly where you want to work next.
Settle the left end of each row first. Cards placed in correct ascending order near the start of a row are unlikely to need shifting again, which shrinks the puzzle as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as the usual solitaire with piles and a stock?

No. There are no face-down piles or deck to turn over in Spaces Solitaire; every card is visible in four rows and you win by rearranging them into suited ascending sequences.

Do I need to install anything to play?

No. It runs directly in your browser on Dubdoo, with no download, no install and no account needed.

Can every deal be finished?

Not necessarily. A layout can reach a point where none of the four spaces will accept a card, so part of the challenge is keeping your options open early on.