Wasp is a Scorpion variant played with a single 52-card deck. Seven tableau columns of seven cards each (49 cards). The first four columns each hold three face-down cards under four face-up cards; the last three columns are dealt fully face-up. The remaining three cards form a small reserve. Build the tableau down by same suit and use the lift-anything Yukon move to re-arrange chains. Like Scorpion, completed King-to-Ace same-suit sequences fly to the foundations automatically. Free in your browser, no sign-up. Works offline once the page has loaded.
Goal: build four complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences. Each completed sequence flies to a foundation automatically.
Same family, same layout. One rule different.
| Aspect | Scorpion | Wasp |
|---|---|---|
| Tableau columns | 7 × 7 cards | 7 × 7 cards |
| Face-down cards at start | 3 under each of columns 1–4 | 3 under each of columns 1–4 |
| Reserve | 3-card, 1 deal | 3-card, 1 deal |
| Tableau building | Down by same suit | Down by same suit |
| Empty column fill | King only | Any card |
The any-card empty-column rule is the difference, and it matters a lot. Empty columns become tools you can actually use, instead of waiting for a King to free one. Wasp is easier than Scorpion as a result.
Wasp appears in mid-20th-century patience anthologies as a Scorpion variant — same lift-anything mechanic and same-suit building, but with the looser any-card empty-column rule. The name reflects the Scorpion family lineage; "wasp" and "scorpion" are both stinging-tail creatures. The variant has remained niche in print but is included in many modern multi-game digital collections.
This Wasp runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Install as an app on your phone or computer; once installed it works offline. Unlimited undo, statistics, and a daily challenge that gives every player the same deal that day so you can compare times.
One rule: Wasp lets any card fill an empty tableau column; Scorpion requires a King. Same layout, same lift-anything move rule, same same-suit building, same three-card reserve. That one rule makes Wasp the easier game.
The reserve holds the last three cards from the deck. Click the reserve to deal those three cards onto the leftmost three columns. You can do this once per game. Use it when the tableau has no more productive moves.
No. There's no peer-reviewed solvability study. The any-card empty-column rule makes Wasp easier than Scorpion, though the strict same-suit building still keeps many deals out of reach.
It's a Scorpion family variant — both names reference stinging-tail creatures. The mid-20th-century patience anthologies that introduced both variants used the family theme to group related single-deck same-suit-building games.
Yes — the Scorpion-Yukon rule. Pick up any face-up card and the cards beneath it move with it as a single group, regardless of order. The picked-up card must be a legal placement (one rank lower, same suit). This is the rule that gives Wasp its high mobility despite the same-suit constraint.