⏰ Clock Solitaire – Time to Play a Classic Card Game!

⏰ Clock Solitaire (also known as Clock Patience) is a casual yet surprisingly suspenseful single-player card game that literally goes around the clock! In this classic setup, cards are arranged like the face of a clock, and your goal is to beat the clock by revealing all the cards before “time runs out” (i.e. before the last King appears). It’s a pure luck game – winning doesn’t depend on skill at all – which actually adds to the fun and anticipation. Best of all, you can play Clock Solitaire right here in your browser (no download needed) and enjoy a quick round anytime.

Don’t be fooled by its simple layout: Clock Solitaire is notoriously challenging to win (only about 1 in 13 games on average is a win!). But that’s part of its charm – each deal is a new chance for a lucky break. Ready to give it a try? Below we’ll explain how to play and share a bit of history and tips about this timeless card game. 😃

How to Play Clock Solitaire

For a game based entirely on luck, the setup is straightforward. Here’s how to set up and play a round of Clock Solitaire:

Deal the Cards: Use a standard 52-card deck (no Jokers) and shuffle it well. Deal 13 piles of four cards each, all face-down. Place 12 piles in a circle like a clock (positions for 1:00 through 12:00), and put the 13th pile in the center – this middle pile is for the Kings. Every pile will have 4 cards, since 52 cards ÷ 13 piles = 4 cards per pile.
Start at the Center: Flip over the top card of the center pile to begin the game. This first revealed card tells you which “hour” pile to go to next, based on the card’s rank:
- Ace ⇒ 1 o’clock (the 1-position pile)
- 2 ⇒ 2 o’clock (pile 2)
- ... and so on up to ...
- Queen ⇒ 12 o’clock (pile 12)
- King ⇒ center pile (the King pile in the middle)
Move the revealed card face-up to the bottom of its corresponding pile.
Follow the Card Trail: Now flip over the top card of the pile you just moved the last card to. Continue the same process: each new card you reveal is placed face-up under the pile of its clock position, then you flip the next card from that pile. The game flows automatically like this, almost as if the cards are “telling time”! You don’t have any decisions to make – just keep following what each card reveals next. ♣️
Winning the Game: You win if you manage to reveal all 52 cards, which will complete all the piles around the clock. In a winning game, the very last card flipped over will be the fourth King – meaning you’ve successfully “completed the clock” and every card is face-up. 🎉
When Time Runs Out (Losing): The game is lost if the fourth King is turned up before you’ve exposed all the other cards. In other words, if you draw the 4th King and there are still any face-down cards left in other piles, then time’s up – you didn’t beat the clock! ⏳ Don’t worry if that happens; Clock Solitaire is pure chance, so losing streaks are normal. Just shuffle the cards and try again for a luckier sequence next time.

*(Fun Variant: Some players enjoy a variation called *“Watch” Solitaire. In this variant, if the fourth King appears early, you temporarily set that King aside (as if giving yourself a second chance) and continue play with a replacement card from the remaining face-down pile. The game only truly ends when that fourth King shows up again. This “extra time” variation gives you a higher chance to reveal all cards, making the game last a bit longer – a fun option if you want to extend the suspense!)

Rules of the Game

Cards & Deck: Clock Solitaire uses one standard 52-card deck (no jokers). All cards are dealt out into the layout – there’s no stock or draw pile during play.
Clock Layout: Deal 13 piles of 4 cards each, face-down. Place 12 piles in a circle representing the hours on a clock (1 o’clock through 12 o’clock) and 1 pile in the center (for Kings).
Card Ranks = Clock Positions: Each card’s rank corresponds to a clock position. Ace = 1:00, 2 = 2:00, ... Jack = 11:00, Queen = 12:00, and King = center pile. When you reveal a card, move it to the bottom of the pile at its matching position. Kings go to the center pile.
Sequence of Play: Flip the top card of the starting pile (center pile to start), then continue flipping cards as directed by the ranks. You have no choices to make – simply follow the sequence of flips and placements until the game ends.
Win Condition: You win if you reveal all cards and thus place all four of each rank in their proper piles. In a win, the last card revealed will be the 4th King, completing the clock.
Lose Condition: The game ends in a loss if the fourth King appears while there are still any face-down cards remaining in other piles. Essentially, drawing that last King too soon is like the timer going off before you finished.

(Bottom line: it’s a luck-based, “autopilot” style game. Once you deal the cards, the outcome is out of your hands – just flip the cards and see what happens!)

History of the Game

Clock Solitaire doesn’t have a crystal-clear origin story (many old card games don’t). It has been around for over a century, delighting players with its simple yet suspenseful gameplay. In fact, it was known in the 19th century simply as “The Clock,” likely emerging as a variation of an older European patience game called Wandering Card. This means people have been enjoying the “round clock” layout since at least Victorian times! By the early 20th century, the name Clock Patience or Clock Solitaire was appearing in print (one reference dates to 1919), so the game has clearly stood the test of time.

Over the years, Clock Solitaire picked up a few fun nicknames in different places. You might hear it called Travellers, Hidden Cards, Dial, Sundial, or even Four of a Kind in some old books. (Don’t be confused by Four of a Kind in this context – some authors used that name for this game, even though a poker hand shares the term.) No matter the name, the premise remains the same and the appeal is timeless. This purely chance-based card game has endured through generations because it’s easy to learn and the suspense of chasing that last King never gets old. Every round is a little drama of fate – will you beat the clock, or will the clock beat you? ⌛

Who Created the Game?

Like many classic card games, the exact inventor of Clock Solitaire is lost to history. There’s no single known person who can claim credit for creating it. The game likely evolved from older patience (solitaire) games over time, rather than being invented all at once. Early references show that by the late 1800s people were already playing this game or close variants of it. It may have first spread informally in Europe under names like “The Clock,” and then made its way into printed game collections.

In short, Clock Solitaire is a folk game at heart – no patent or inventor’s name on record – it simply grew popular because it was enjoyable and easy to teach. It’s been passed down through card game books and word of mouth for decades (if not longer). So while we can’t point to a specific creator, we can appreciate the generations of players who kept this little game alive and kicking! 😊

Tips and Tricks

Since Clock Solitaire is 100% luck-based, there aren’t strategic moves to improve your odds – but there are still a few tips to enhance your experience and squeeze the most fun out of each game:

🃏 Set Up Neatly (for Physical Play): If you’re playing with real cards on a table, arrange the 12 piles clearly in a circle and always remember which pile corresponds to which hour. For example, know that Jack = 11 and Queen = 12 o’clock. Keeping a tidy “clock” layout prevents confusion about where each card should go, especially if you’re new to the game.
⏱️ Take Your Time & Enjoy the Suspense: Part of the fun is the anticipation as you flip each card. There’s no need to rush – since you have no decisions to make, treat it as a relaxing game of “reveal and see what happens.” Savor the tension of each draw (will it be a King or not?) and enjoy the process. It’s a great little game for a calm, rainy afternoon or a short brain break.
🍀 Don’t Get Discouraged by Losses: Remember, the odds of winning are only about 7–8% (roughly one win in every 13 games on average). It’s totally normal to hit a King early and lose many rounds in a row. Don’t let a losing streak get you down – think of each game as a quick spin of the wheel. When you do win, it feels special! Some players even joke that winning Clock Solitaire is a lucky omen because it’s so rare.
🔄 Try the “Watch” Variation: To extend the fun, give the popular Watch variation a go. In this variant, if the fourth King shows up too soon, you don’t end the game immediately. Instead, take that King and tuck it aside (swap it with a remaining face-down card) and keep playing as if nothing happened. Essentially, you get a second chance – the game only ends when that fourth King eventually reappears. Note: This doesn’t really improve your overall odds of winning, but it lets you reveal more cards and draw out the suspense. It’s a fun way to play if you want a longer game or to try to unveil every card even when luck isn’t on your side.
💻 Play Online for Convenience: Of course, the easiest way to enjoy Clock Solitaire is to play it online (for instance, right here on SolitaireX.io!). The computer will handle all the shuffling, dealing, and card flipping for you, which means you can blaze through games much faster. This is great when you’re chasing that elusive win – you can play multiple rounds in a short time. Plus, online play often tracks your stats (wins, win percentage, etc.), so you can challenge yourself or friends: “I won 2 out of 20 games – can you beat that?” Playing on our site also means you can hit “restart” or “undo” if you want to quickly try again. It’s all the same luck, but a lot more convenient. 😉

Ready to test your luck and beat the clock? 🎴 Play Clock Solitaire for free right now at SolitaireX.io – no download or sign-up required, just jump straight into the game in your browser. Give it a try and see if this is your lucky round to complete the clock! And while you’re here, don’t forget to explore SolitaireX.io for more fun solitaire games – from classics to modern twists, we’ve got a whole collection waiting for you.

Good luck, have fun, and happy card gaming! 😊