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What is Wandering Card Solitaire?
Wandering Card is the original shuttling patience game, first published in 1869 by Ednah Cheney. It is the ancestor of Clock Solitaire, Travellers, Four of a Kind, and all other shuttling variants. What makes Wandering Card unique is its two-phase structure: a dealing phase where matching cards are set aside, followed by the classic shuttling sequence.
Wandering Card Solitaire history
Ednah Cheney's 1869 publication introduced the "shuttling" principle that David Parlett later identified as a rhythmical feature distinguishing this patience family from all others. The dealing phase is Cheney's original invention: cards that match their pile number are set aside during the deal, giving the player a reserve of correctly placed cards to restart the chain when it stalls. Every later shuttler variant, from Travellers (1888) to Clock Patience, descends from this original design.
How to play Wandering Card Solitaire
- Deal 13 face-up cards in a single row, labelled Ace to King.
- Deal three more rounds on top, counting each card as you place it (positions 1 through 13).
- If a card's rank matches its position number during the deal, set it aside instead of placing it on the pile.
- After dealing, you have 13 piles (some with fewer than 4 cards) and a reserve of set-aside cards.
- Take the first set-aside card and place it face-up under its numbered pile.
- Flip the top card of that pile and shuttle it to its home pile.
- If the shuttle stalls (the destination pile's top card is already correct), take the next set-aside card to restart.
- Win when all 13 piles hold 4 cards of matching rank. Lose if the chain stalls with no set-aside cards remaining.
Strategies to win Wandering Card
Like all shuttler games, Wandering Card has no player decisions once the deal is complete. However, the dealing phase introduces a small element of control: the order in which rounds are dealt determines which cards get set aside. In practice, this is determined by the shuffle, so the game remains essentially mechanical. The set-aside reserve does give Wandering Card slightly better odds than Clock or Travellers, since stalled chains can be restarted.
Wandering Card rules and objective
The goal is to sort all 52 cards so each pile holds four cards of its designated rank (Aces in pile 1, Twos in pile 2, and so on up to Kings in pile 13). The game has two phases: dealing (with set-aside) and shuttling. You win if every pile is complete after shuttling. You lose if the chain blocks and no set-aside cards remain.
Game setup
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deck | Standard 52 cards |
| Layout | 13 piles in a single row, all face-up |
| Deal phase | Cards matching their pile number are set aside |
| Shuttle phase | Place set-aside cards, then chain-shuttle |
| Kings | Go to pile 13; King target = 12 |
| Objective | Each pile holds 4 cards of its named rank |
Wandering Card Solitaire variants
Wandering Card is the founding member of the shuttler patience family. Later variants simplified or modified Cheney's original design.
- Clock Solitaire: circular clock-face layout, all cards face-down, no dealing phase.
- Travellers Solitaire: 13 face-down row piles, starts from pile 13, no dealing phase.
- Hidden Cards: 12 face-up piles with a separate Kings pile and reserve.
- Hide and Seek: German variant (Versteckenspiel) starting from the Ace pile.
- Four of a Kind: grid layout with sequential pile advancement.
- Spoilt: 32-card variant with suit-and-rank placement.
How difficult is Wandering Card Solitaire?
Wandering Card is very difficult, but slightly less punishing than Clock or Travellers. The dealing phase creates a reserve of correctly placed set-aside cards, which lets you restart stalled chains. This gives the game modestly better odds than its descendants that lack the reserve mechanic.
What is Wandering Card's win percentage?
Wandering Card Solitaire has an estimated win rate of about 2%. The set-aside reserve from the dealing phase improves the odds slightly compared to Clock Solitaire (about 1%), but the game remains heavily dependent on the initial shuffle.
What is the difference between Wandering Card and Clock Solitaire?
Wandering Card is the 1869 original; Clock Patience is a simplified descendant. The key difference is Wandering Card's dealing phase, where matching cards are set aside as a reserve. Clock skips this phase entirely and starts shuttling immediately.
| Feature | Wandering Card | Clock Solitaire |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 1869 (Cheney) | Late 19th century |
| Layout | 13 piles in one row | 12 clock positions + centre |
| Card facing | All face-up | All face-down |
| Dealing phase | Yes (set-aside) | No |
| Reserve | Set-aside cards | None |
| Win rate | About 2% | About 1% |
Wandering Card Solitaire FAQ
Who invented Wandering Card Solitaire?
Ednah Cheney published Wandering Card in 1869, making it the earliest known shuttling patience game. All later shuttler variants, including Clock and Travellers, descend from her original design.
What is the dealing phase in Wandering Card?
During the deal, you count each card as it goes to its pile. If a card's rank matches its pile number, it is set aside instead of being placed. These set-aside cards form a reserve used to restart the chain when it stalls during shuttling.
Can I make strategic choices in Wandering Card?
No. Despite having a dealing phase, the outcome is still determined by the shuffle. The set-aside mechanism is automatic, and the shuttling sequence follows a fixed path. The game is purely mechanical.
Why is Wandering Card easier than Clock Solitaire?
The set-aside reserve gives Wandering Card extra chances to restart stalled shuttle chains. Clock has no reserve, so a single stall (fourth King appearing too early) ends the game immediately. This gives Wandering Card roughly double the win rate of Clock.
How many cards can be set aside during the deal?
The number of set-aside cards varies with each shuffle. On average, expect 3 to 5 cards to match their pile position during the deal. More set-aside cards mean more chances to restart stalled chains, improving your odds of winning.