Penguin Solitaire is a single-deck patience designed by David Parlett. Seven tableau columns of seven cards (the first card dealt is the "penguin" — its rank sets the foundation start), four foundations, and seven "flippers" (cells) for temporary storage. You build the tableau down by same suit with rank wrap, and aim to fill four foundations starting from the penguin's rank back to itself. The seven flippers give serious mobility, but the same-suit rule keeps it tight. Free in your browser, no sign-up. Works offline once the page has loaded.
Goal: build all four foundations up by suit (with rank wrap) starting from the penguin rank.
Both have open information and reserve cells, but the building rule and foundation rules differ.
| Aspect | FreeCell | Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Tableau columns | 8 | 7 |
| Reserve cells | 4 free cells | 7 flippers |
| Tableau building | Down by alternating color | Down by same suit, with rank wrap |
| Foundation start | Always Ace | Rank of first card dealt |
| Empty column fill | Any card | Card one rank below penguin rank only |
| Solver: winnable deals | about 99.999% (Blake & Gent, 2026) | about 99.9% of 50 million deals (Mark Masten) |
Penguin Solitaire was designed by British games scholar David Parlett. It appears in his Penguin Book of Patience (Penguin, 1979) — the name is a nod to the publisher rather than the bird, though the game's mascot has since become the literal animal. The variant has remained niche but well-regarded among patience designers for its elegant connection between the penguin rank and three of the game's other rules (foundations, empty columns, and the wrap).
This Penguin runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Install as an app on your phone or computer; once installed it works offline. Auto-supermoves on same-suit sequences, unlimited undo, statistics, and a daily challenge that gives every player the same deal that day.
The first card dealt to the tableau. Its rank sets the foundation start rank for all four foundations. The other three cards of the same rank become the other three foundation starters. The penguin rank also determines what fills empty columns (the rank just below).
Because the foundation starts at the penguin rank and ends at the rank just below it. If the penguin is a 7, the foundation goes 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2-3-4-5-6. The same wrap applies in the tableau, so K can go on A and A can go on 2.
Only a card (or group) whose rank is one below the penguin rank. If the penguin is a 7, only 6s start empty columns. This is much more restrictive than FreeCell's any-card rule, so check which rank can fill a space before you empty a column.
Same general feel — open information, reserve cells, build-down tableau — but with three big differences. Penguin builds by same suit (FreeCell by alternating color), foundations start at the penguin rank instead of Ace, and empty columns are filled only by the rank just below the penguin. The seven flippers (vs four free cells) help compensate for the stricter rules.
British games scholar David Parlett designed Penguin Solitaire and published it in his Penguin Book of Patience (Penguin, 1979). The name is a nod to the publisher rather than the bird. The variant remains niche in print but is a designer favourite for the elegant way the penguin rank ties together foundations, empty columns, and the rank wrap.