How to play Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid is the quick solitaire of adding up. Twenty-eight cards are dealt face up in a pyramid of seven rows, and the rest of the deck waits below. Take cards away in pairs that add up to 13. When the last card of the pyramid is gone, you win.

What the cards count

• Number cards count their number: a 7 is 7.
• An Ace is 1, a Jack is 11, a Queen is 12.
• A King is 13 all by itself, so it goes away alone with a single tap.

The pairs are Queen and Ace, Jack and 2, 10 and 3, 9 and 4, 8 and 5, 7 and 6. Suits and colors do not matter.

Free cards

Only free cards can be taken. A pyramid card is free when no card lies on it: at the start that is the whole bottom row, and each card above opens up once both cards on top of it are gone. The top card of the deck lies face up and is free too, and so is the top card of the waste pile.

To take a pair, tap one card and then the other. Tap a King and it goes right away. Tap a covered card and we tell you which cards still lie on it.

The deck

Tap the deck to turn the next card. The card that was face up moves to the waste pile, where its top card stays free. When the deck runs out, tap the empty spot and the waste turns over into a new deck. In the classic game you go through the deck three times. For a real test, pick 1 pass in Settings.

Every deal can be won

Plenty of Pyramid deals have no way through, and losing those is no fun. Here every deal, including the daily one, has been checked before you see it: there is always a way to clear the pyramid. If you run out of moves, you can replay the same deal and look for it.

Tips that win more games

1. Kings first. A King needs no partner, so take it the moment it is free.
2. Choose the right partner. When two free cards could pair with the same card, pick the one that opens up more of the pyramid.
3. Watch the deck card. Before you pair two pyramid cards, look at the face up deck card: it may need the same partner.
4. Mind the cards on top of each other. A card can never pair with a card that lies on it, so a 6 under a 7 needs another 7.
5. Do not hurry through the deck. Every pass is precious. Take all the pairs you can before you turn the next card.
6. Use Undo. There is no penalty. Try a line, and if it goes nowhere, take it back.

Today's deal

Every day there is one Daily Deal, the same for every player, with three passes through the deck. Clear the pyramid in as few moves as you can and see how you compare with everyone else who played today. Your first win of the day is the one that counts.

Questions

Do I have to clear the deck too? No. The game is won the moment the pyramid is empty, even with cards left in the deck.

Can two deck cards make a pair? Yes. The face up deck card and the top of the waste pile are both free, so they can pair with each other.

What does Hint do? It knows a way to clear the pyramid from where you are and lights up the next move along that way. If no way is left, it says so.

What counts as a move? Every pair, every King and every card you turn from the deck. Turning the whole deck over does not count.

Do I need an account? No. Your games, streak and settings stay in this browser. A free account keeps them on every device.