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How They Run swaps Three Blind Mice's two-card reserve for two single-card cells, a single-deck puzzle with a 40% win rate.

How They Run Solitaire is Erik den Hollander's take on Three Blind Mice, swapping that game's two-card reserve for two single-card cells. The game is medium difficulty, with a 40% chance of winning, and it's played with a single deck, so skill counts for as much as the luck of the deal.

Three Blind Mice Solitaire is the game How They Run is built from, and Scorpion Solitaire is a same-suit cousin from that family. Farmer's Wife and Applegate are worth a look too.

When you want the same-suit tableau challenge without the two-cell twist, Spider Solitaire delivers it.

If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.

Enjoy yourself!

How to play How They Run Solitaire

Layout:

10 tableau piles: Build down in the same suit. Cards in sequence can be moved as a group. Fill empty spaces with a King or a run of cards led by a King. At the start of the game, each pile is dealt 5 cards. In the first three piles, three cards are face-down and two are face-up; in the other seven piles, all five cards are face-up.

2 cells: Two single-card storage spots. Each cell holds one card, dealt face-up at the start. Any card free to play on the tableau can go into an open cell.

Foundation:

There are four foundation piles.

Single cards are never allowed to be moved to the foundation. Only once you've built a complete sequence on the tableau, thirteen cards in order from ace to king, can you transfer it to the foundation.

The top card of each foundation can be moved back into play if another pile will accept it.

Cells:

Two cells, each holding one card at the start.

One card can be stored in each cell. Any card that's free to play on the tableau can be played into an open cell. A card in a cell can be returned to the tableau.

Tableau:

Ten tableau piles of five cards each: the first three piles are dealt with three cards face-down and two face-up, while the other seven piles are dealt entirely face-up.

A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on an 8 of hearts is a 7 of hearts.

Cards on the tableau that aren't covered by another card can be played onto an open cell or any other tableau pile.

Only Kings may fill empty spots in the tableau.

Any face-up card in the tableau may also be moved to another tableau column where it fits, bringing every card stacked on top of it along for the ride.