Question 1

Is every FreeCell game winnable?

Accepted Answer

Very nearly. About 99% of FreeCell deals are solvable, and of the classic 32,000 numbered deals exactly one — game #11982 — is known to be impossible. In practice, assume the win is there.

Question 2

Why will FreeCell not let me move my run of cards?

Accepted Answer

Because you do not have enough free cells. FreeCell only ever moves one card at a time; dragging a run makes the game do that for you using the cells as temporary space. The limit is (free cells + 1) × 2 to the power of empty columns — so four free cells and no empty column lets you move five cards. This site shows the current number live at the bottom of the screen.

Question 3

What is the (free cells + 1) × 2^empty formula?

Accepted Answer

It is the number of cards you can move as a unit. Each free cell can park one card of the sequence, and each empty column can hold a whole sub-sequence rather than a single card — which is why an empty column doubles your capacity rather than adding one.

Question 4

What is the best FreeCell strategy?

Accepted Answer

Look before you touch anything — the whole solution is visible from the start. Empty a column early, because it doubles what you can move. Keep at least one cell free at all times. And dig for buried Aces and twos, since they are what block the foundations.

Question 5

Can I put two cards in one free cell?

Accepted Answer

No. Each cell holds exactly one card. That scarcity is the entire game.

Question 6

What can go into an empty column in FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

Any card, in standard FreeCell. Some variants restrict it to Kings, which makes the game dramatically harder.

Question 7

How is FreeCell different from Klondike?

Accepted Answer

No stock, no face-down cards, and effectively no luck. Everything is visible from the first frame, so FreeCell is a puzzle where Klondike is partly a gamble.

Question 8

Is FreeCell free to play?

Accepted Answer

Yes. FreeCell is completely free here — free to play, nothing to install, and nothing that interrupts a game halfway through.

Question 9

Do I need to download anything to play FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

No. It runs entirely in your browser. There is nothing to install and no app to update.

Question 10

Can I play FreeCell on a phone or tablet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The layout adapts to the screen, cards can be dragged or tapped, and the whole game works on touch. It is the same site, not a cut-down version.

Question 11

Do I need an account to play FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

No. Open a game and play — there is nothing to register for. Your settings, statistics and bookmarks are kept in your own browser.

Question 12

Can I undo a move?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as many times as you like, with the Undo button or Ctrl+Z (Cmd+Z on a Mac). There is no penalty and no limit.

Question 13

Can I replay the same deal?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every game shows a deal number in the bottom-right corner. The same number always deals the same game. You can bookmark it, share it, or send it to us in a bug report.

Question 14

Does FreeCell work offline?

Accepted Answer

Once the page has loaded, the game itself runs entirely in your browser and does not need the network. Reloading the page does require a connection.

Question 15

Is there a timer, and can I turn it off?

Accepted Answer

There is a timer and a move counter in the bar at the bottom. Both can be hidden from Settings if you would rather play without them.

Question 16

Can I change how the cards look?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Settings offers five table colours, six card backs, and a four-colour deck where each suit gets its own colour — which many colour-blind players find much easier to read.

Question 17

Are there keyboard shortcuts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Hotkeys button in the top bar lists them all. Every action has both a keyboard route and a mouse route; the keyboard is never the only way to do something.

Question 18

Is there anything I have to sign up for?

Accepted Answer

No. You can open any game and start playing immediately — there is no sign-up step and no paywall. Settings and statistics are kept in your own browser rather than on a server.

Question 19

What happens if I close the tab mid-game?

Accepted Answer

The game is not saved, so closing the tab ends it. If you want to come back to the same deal, note the deal number first — it will deal exactly the same game.

Question 20

What are the rules of FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

All 52 cards are dealt face up across eight columns. Build the four foundations up in suit from Ace to King. The tableau builds down in alternating colours. Four free cells each hold one card as temporary space.

Question 21

How many cards are in each FreeCell column?

Accepted Answer

Seven in the first four columns and six in the last four — 52 in total, with nothing held back.

Question 22

What are free cells for?

Accepted Answer

Parking. Each holds a single card, letting you move something out of the way to reach what is beneath it. They are workspace, not storage — a card sitting in a cell is a card doing nothing.

Question 23

How many cards can I move at once in FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

(free cells + 1) × 2 to the power of empty columns. With all four cells free and no empty column that is five. The current number is shown live at the bottom of the screen.

Question 24

Why does an empty column double how many cards I can move?

Accepted Answer

Because a whole sub-sequence can be parked in an empty column, where a free cell only takes one card. That is why an empty column is worth far more than it looks.

Question 25

Is FreeCell a game of luck?

Accepted Answer

Almost none. Every card is visible from the deal and about 99% of games are winnable, so a loss is a planning error rather than bad luck. That is either the appeal or the frustration.

Question 26

What is the hardest FreeCell deal?

Accepted Answer

Game #11982 of the classic Microsoft 32,000 is the famous one — it is the only deal in that set proven impossible.

Question 27

Should I send every card to the foundations?

Accepted Answer

No. A card on a foundation cannot be built on, so sending a seven up early can strand the six that needed it. This site only auto-plays cards that are provably safe.

Question 28

What is the best first move in FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

Usually none — look first. The whole solution is visible from the start, so ten seconds spent finding the Aces and seeing what is buried on top of them is worth more than any opening move.

Question 29

How do I get better at FreeCell?

Accepted Answer

Empty a column as early as you can, keep at least one cell free at all times, and dig for buried low cards. Watch the move-capacity number: when it reaches one, you are usually already lost.

Question 30

Can I move a card out of a free cell?

Accepted Answer

Yes, at any time, to the tableau or a foundation. Before parking a card, always know how it comes back out.

Question 31

Is FreeCell the same as Baker's Game?

Accepted Answer

Nearly. Baker's Game is FreeCell with the tableau building in the same suit instead of alternating colours, which makes it substantially harder.