How to Play Clock Solitaire

Clock Solitaire (also known as Clock Patience, Travelers, or Four of a Kind) is a purely luck-based solitaire game with a charming clock-face layout. While no decisions are made during play, the suspense of whether you'll beat the Kings keeps it entertaining. It's one of the most visually distinctive patience games.

Objective

Turn all cards face-up by placing them in their correct clock positions before all four Kings are revealed. If the fourth King appears before all other positions are complete, you lose.

Setup

Use a standard 52-card deck. This is a single-player game.
Deal all 52 cards face-down into 13 piles of 4 cards each.
Arrange 12 piles in a clock-face circle (positions 1-12 representing Ace through Queen).
Place the 13th pile in the center (the Kings position).
Position mapping: 1 o'clock = Ace, 2 o'clock = Two, ... 10 o'clock = Ten, 11 o'clock = Jack, 12 o'clock = Queen, Center = King.

Gameplay

Begin by flipping the top card of the center (Kings) pile.
Place the revealed card face-up under the pile at its corresponding clock position.
Then flip the top card from that clock position's pile.
Place this new card at its corresponding position, and flip from there. Continue the chain.
Example: Flip a 7 → place it at 7 o'clock → flip from 7 o'clock pile → get a Queen → place at 12 o'clock → flip from there.
When you flip a King, place it in the center and flip the next card from the center pile.

Winning and Losing

You win if all 52 cards are turned face-up (all positions have 4 face-up cards).
You lose if you place the fourth King in the center with face-down cards still remaining elsewhere.
Once all 4 Kings are in the center, there's nowhere to go — the game ends.
The win rate is approximately 1 in 13 games (about 7.7%).

Why It's Pure Luck

Unlike most solitaire games, Clock Solitaire involves zero decisions. The outcome is entirely determined by the initial shuffle. Once you flip the first card, the entire game plays out in a fixed sequence. This makes it a perfect "zen" game — just flip and watch the clock fill up.

Tips for Enjoyment

Appreciate the journey — Since you can't affect the outcome, enjoy watching the clock positions fill up.
Track your stats — With a ~7.7% win rate, winning feels genuinely exciting. Record your wins.
Play multiple rounds — The game takes under 2 minutes, making it perfect for speed rounds.
Watch for patterns — Notice how some shuffles create long chains while others end quickly.
Count Kings — The tension builds each time a King appears. Three Kings revealed means it's do-or-die.

Variants

Watch Solitaire — Similar layout but with strategic choices about which card to flip.
Four of a Kind — Same game, different name. Sometimes played with a discard mechanism for a strategic twist.

Play Clock Solitaire Online

Our free online Clock Solitaire features a beautiful clock-face layout, smooth card animations, and automatic placement that lets you sit back and enjoy the suspense.

Play Clock Solitaire Online for Free →