Play Big Ben Solitaire Online for Free
What is Big Ben Solitaire?
Big Ben is a two-deck clock solitaire named after the iconic clock tower at the Palace of Westminster. Twelve preset foundation cards form an inner clock circle, while twelve tableau piles of three cards surround them as an outer ring. You build the inner foundations up by suit until each position displays its correct clock number, and you build the outer piles down by suit to free cards for the inner circle. A stock pile supplies additional cards through gap-filling and single-card draws. With roughly a 50% win rate, Big Ben combines the visual appeal of clock solitaires with genuinely strategic two-deck decision-making.
Big Ben Solitaire history
Big Ben has also been published under the names The Clock, L'Horloge, and Father Time. It is a large-scale, two-deck expansion of the single-deck Grandfather's Clock game. Despite sharing the "Clock" name with several other solitaire games, Big Ben's dual-circle layout and gap-filling mechanic make it a distinct game with unique strategic depth.
How to play Big Ben Solitaire
- 12 preset cards form the inner clock circle (foundations).
- 12 piles of 3 face-up cards form the outer circle (tableau).
- Build inner foundations up by suit, wrapping King to Ace.
- Build outer piles down by suit, wrapping Ace to King.
- Only the top card of each outer pile is available to play.
- Outer piles must maintain a minimum of 3 cards. You cannot build on a pile with fewer than 3 cards.
- When piles fall below 3 cards (creating "gaps"), use the Fill Gaps action to deal from stock and replenish all piles to 3.
- When stuck, draw one card from stock to the waste pile.
- The top waste card can be played to the inner or outer circle.
- No redeals. The game ends when the stock is exhausted and no more moves remain.
- Win when all 12 foundations display their clock-hour values.
Strategies to win Big Ben
- Time your gap fills: Filling gaps deals multiple cards with no control over placement. Use it when several piles need replenishing simultaneously to maximize new options.
- Build the outer circle selectively: Only build down on outer piles that expose useful cards for the inner circle. Blind stacking creates deadlocks.
- Watch the waste pile: Cards in the waste are buried. Avoid frequent stock draws when outer circle moves are available.
- Plan wrapping foundations early: Positions 1 through 8 (clockwise from 1 o'clock) require wrapping past King to Ace. Track Kings and Aces across both decks.
- Keep suits balanced: With two decks, the same suit appears across multiple piles. Focus on unblocking the suit each foundation needs rather than building any available sequence.
Big Ben rules and objective
The goal is to build all 12 inner-circle foundations up by suit until each displays its target clock-hour card. Outer-circle piles build down by suit. The stock provides cards through gap-filling and single draws to the waste. There is no redeal.
Game setup
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Decks used | 2 standard decks (104 cards) |
| Inner circle | 12 preset foundation cards in clock positions |
| Outer circle | 12 piles of 3 face-up cards each |
| Stock pile | 56 remaining cards |
| Waste pile | Cards drawn from stock that cannot be placed |
| Win condition | All 12 foundations show their clock-hour number |
Foundation starter cards
| Position | Starter | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 o'clock | 6♣ | A♣ |
| 2 o'clock | 7♥ | 2♥ |
| 3 o'clock | 8♠ | 3♠ |
| 4 o'clock | 9♦ | 4♦ |
| 5 o'clock | 10♣ | 5♣ |
| 6 o'clock | J♥ | 6♥ |
| 7 o'clock | Q♠ | 7♠ |
| 8 o'clock | K♦ | 8♦ |
| 9 o'clock | 2♣ | 9♣ |
| 10 o'clock | 3♥ | 10♥ |
| 11 o'clock | 4♠ | J♠ |
| 12 o'clock | 5♦ | Q♦ |
Scoring
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Move card to inner foundation | +10 |
| Move waste card to inner foundation | +15 |
| Move card from foundation to outer circle | -15 |
Big Ben Solitaire variants
Big Ben is the largest and most complex clock solitaire. Other clock-themed games offer simpler or more luck-based experiences.
- Grandfather's Clock: single-deck version with 8 open tableau columns and no stock.
- Clock Solitaire: mechanical shuttler with face-down circular piles. No strategy.
- Travellers Solitaire: face-down row variant of Clock with similar odds.
- Hidden Cards: shuttler with a 2x6 grid and separate Kings pile.
- Four of a Kind: sequential shuttler with grid layout.
How difficult is Big Ben Solitaire?
Big Ben is moderately difficult for a strategic solitaire. The two-deck format provides more cards and more foundation positions to fill, but the outer-circle minimum size rule and single stock pass create meaningful constraints. Success depends on timing gap-fills correctly and managing the waste pile efficiently.
What is Big Ben's win percentage?
Big Ben Solitaire has an estimated win rate of about 50% with skilled play. This places it between casual shuffler games (1% win rate) and highly solvable strategy games like FreeCell (about 99%).
What is the difference between Big Ben and Grandfather's Clock?
Both are strategic clock-face solitaires with circular foundations, but they differ significantly in scale and mechanics. Big Ben doubles the deck, adds a stock and waste, and introduces the outer-circle gap-filling system.
| Feature | Big Ben | Grandfather's Clock |
|---|---|---|
| Decks | 2 (104 cards) | 1 (52 cards) |
| Tableau | 12 outer-circle piles of 3 | 8 columns of 5 |
| Stock | 56-card stock | None |
| Information | Partially hidden (stock) | Fully open |
| Build tableau | Down, by suit | Down, any suit |
| Win rate | About 50% | About 75% |
Big Ben Solitaire FAQ
How is Big Ben different from Grandfather's Clock?
Big Ben uses two decks (104 cards) instead of one, adds an outer circle tableau with gap-filling mechanics, includes a stock and waste pile, and requires building down by suit on the outer circle. Grandfather's Clock is a simpler one-deck open-information game.
What is the minimum pile size rule?
Each outer circle pile must contain at least 3 cards. If a pile drops below 3 through moves, those "gaps" can only be filled by dealing from the stock. You cannot place cards from other piles into a gap. The Fill Gaps button replenishes all short piles at once.
Can I redeal the stock?
No. There is only one pass through the stock. Once it is exhausted, you must work with the remaining cards in the outer circle and waste.
What is Big Ben's win rate?
Approximately 50% of deals are winnable with skilled play, according to classic solitaire reference books.
Why is the game called Big Ben?
The game is named after the Great Clock of Westminster, commonly known as Big Ben. The twelve foundation positions mirror the twelve hours on the clock tower's face. The game has also been published under the names The Clock, L'Horloge, and Father Time.