Learn to Play Clock Patience: Rules & Tips

Players 1 Player
Difficulty 2/10
Recommended Age 8+
Game Category Solitaire
Playing the card game Clock Patience
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Clock Patience Game Overview

Clock Patience is a simple yet engaging solitaire card game that has been popular for generations. The game is easy to learn and can be played by people of all ages. It requires only a standard deck of playing cards and can be played alone or with others. The objective of the game is to successfully complete a clock face with all the cards in the deck, using a series of moves that require skill and strategy.

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Objective of the Game

The object of the game is to build a clock face using all 52 cards in a standard deck. The clock face is arranged in a circle, with the twelve face cards acting as the hours on the clock, and the other cards representing the minutes. The game is won when all 52 cards have been placed in the correct order around the clock face.

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Materials Needed for Playing Clock Patience

  • A standard deck of 52 playing cards

Cards Used

One standard deck of 52 playing cards is used in Clock Patience.

Other Supplies Needed

  • None

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How To Play Clock Patience

  1. Shuffle the deck of cards and place them face down in a pile in the center of the playing area.
  2. Turn over the top card of the deck and place it face up in the center of the playing area.
  3. Place the next card face down on top of the first card, with only the top card visible.
  4. Repeat step 3 twelve times, placing the cards in a circle to represent the twelve hours on a clock face.
  5. Starting with the top card of the pile, turn over the next card and place it face up in the center of the circle.
  6. Continue turning over cards and placing them in the circle, moving clockwise around the circle, until all 52 cards have been placed in the circle.
  7. If a face card is turned over, place it on the corresponding hour on the clock face. For example, if a King is turned over, place it on the 12 o'clock position of the circle.
  8. If a non-face card is turned over, count the number of pips on the card and place it on the corresponding minute on the clock face. For example, if a 7 of Hearts is turned over, place it on the 7-minute position of the circle.
  9. If a card is turned over that matches the rank of the card in the center of the circle, the player must immediately place the card on top of the center card and then continue play.
  10. If a player turns over a card that cannot be placed, either on a face card or a non-face card, they must discard the card and start a new pile in the center of the playing area.
  11. The game is won when all 52 cards have been placed in the correct order around the clock face.

Keeping Score

Clock Patience is a game that is not typically scored, as the goal is simply to successfully complete the game within the allotted time.

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Related Games

If you enjoy playing Clock Patience, you may also enjoy the following similar card games: