Objective
Order all 48 cards into the four rows so that each row holds a single suit running from the 2 on the left up to the King, leaving the rightmost slot of every row empty. It does not matter which row ends up holding which suit.
Setup
- The board is four rows of 13 slots. A full 52-card deck is dealt, one card per slot.
- The four Aces are set aside, leaving 48 cards in play and four empty slots (gaps) at random positions.
- All cards are face up from the start.
Allowed moves
- Move one card at a time into an empty slot.
- A card can fill a gap only if the card directly to the left of that gap is the same suit and exactly one rank lower — for example, a 6♦ can move next to a 5♦.
- A 2 can only be moved into an empty slot when that slot is the leftmost slot of a row.
- No card can be placed in a gap whose left neighbour is a King, or in a gap whose left neighbour is itself empty — those gaps are dead.
Shuffle
- You are allowed three shuffles per game.
- A shuffle collects every card that is not yet in its correct position and redeals them randomly into the remaining slots. Cards already in their correct place do not move, so you never lose progress by shuffling.
- A card is "correct" if it is a 2 in the leftmost slot of its row, or it is the same suit as the correctly placed card to its immediate left and one rank higher.
- Save your shuffles for when you truly cannot move — a shuffle keeps your correct runs but randomises everything else, so it is strongest when the board is genuinely deadlocked.
Winning and losing
- You win when all four rows are ordered 2 to King by suit, with the last slot of each row empty.
- You lose when no card can move and you have no shuffles left.
- Undo is always available, so you can back up and try a different line.
Controls and helpers
- Click or tap a card to select it, then click an empty slot to move it there. Valid destinations are highlighted.
- Use the Shuffle button to redeal the misplaced cards (three per game).
- Undo is available in the HUD and via Cmd/Ctrl+Z; Redo via Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y on Windows.
- Hint suggests a useful card to move, or a shuffle when the board is stuck.
Saving and sharing
- Your progress auto-saves locally in the browser and restores if you refresh or reopen the tab.
- Use Share to copy a short link that recreates the same starting deal.
Why is it called Addiction Solitaire?
Addiction Solitaire is a member of the "Gaps" family of patience games (also known as Gaps, Spaces, or Montana). The name reflects how moreish the format is: each move opens a new gap, which invites the next move, and it is easy to keep saying "just one more deal".
Unlike build-and-stack games such as Klondike, Addiction is about arranging a fixed grid in order rather than stacking cards onto piles.
Strategy tips
- Build from the left. A row only counts as correct from the 2 outward, so prioritise getting a 2 into each leftmost slot, then extend the suit run rightward.
- Avoid stranding Kings. A gap to the right of a King is dead, so think before you create one — and try to leave gaps next to low or mid cards instead.
- Plan before you shuffle. You only get three shuffles. Exhaust every legal move first, because a shuffle keeps your correct runs but randomises everything else.
- Chase the gaps that extend a finished run. Filling the slot just right of a correctly placed card locks in real progress.
How is Addiction different from Klondike Solitaire?
Klondike builds descending, alternating-colour stacks and sends cards up to four foundations. Addiction has no foundations and no stacking: all 48 cards lie face up in a grid (the Aces are removed), and you win by sorting each row into a single ascending suit using the gaps.
That makes Addiction more of a sliding-and-sorting puzzle than a stacking game — closer to Gaps, Montana, or Spaces than to Klondike or FreeCell.
Is every Addiction Solitaire deal winnable?
No. Many deals cannot be solved, which is why the shuffle exists. The three shuffles meaningfully raise the win rate by letting you escape dead positions, but some deals still end in a loss. Skilful play — sequencing moves to keep gaps useful and saving shuffles for when you are truly stuck — is what separates a win from a loss.
Can I undo in Addiction Solitaire?
Yes. Unlimited undo is available via the Undo button or Cmd/Ctrl+Z. Because Addiction rewards planning, undoing a move to test a different order is a normal part of play. Note that undo does not refund a used shuffle in the reference rules, so spend shuffles deliberately.
Related solitaire games to try next
If you enjoy Addiction’s sorting puzzle, try these next: FreeCell for open-information planning, Pyramid for quick pair-clearing, and Klondike for the classic build-and-sort.
Sources and further reading
These references informed the rules, history, and variant notes on this page.