If you have asked yourself which solitaire is hardest, the answer depends on how you measure challenge: the percentage of winnable deals and the role of skill. Among the five games offered on 247solitaire.my, Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Yukon, and Scorpion, the toughest is Scorpion, followed closely by four-suit Spider. At the other end, FreeCell is the easiest, with nearly every deal winnable. This ranking sorts each game by its win rate and how much your decisions matter, and suggests an order to learn them from easiest to hardest.
5. FreeCell, the Easiest Solitaire Game
FreeCell sits at the bottom of the scale. Almost every deal is solvable. Of the classic 32,000 Windows deals, all but deal #11982 can be won. That means a win rate above most of those deals. Skill still helps you find the winning path faster, but even a beginner can succeed most of the time.
How the layout keeps it simple
The game uses an 8x8 grid of cards with four free cells where you can temporarily store one card each. You move cards to the foundation in ascending order by suit. The layout is fixed and the stock is not reshuffled, so the challenge stays low. If you want to know which solitaire is easiest to win, FreeCell is the clear answer.
4. Klondike, the Classic Test of Luck
Klondike is the most familiar solitaire game, but its toughness depends on the draw mode. Draw-one Klondike is widely estimated to have around 80% of deals winnable with perfect play. Draw-three is harder. You see fewer cards at a time, which reduces your options and forces more luck-based outcomes. In the ranking, Klondike sits in the middle: you can win most deals if you play well, but the luck of the draw still decides many games. Skill matters, but not as much as in Yukon or Scorpion.
What makes Klondike easier than it looks
You can move partial sequences of cards in descending order and alternating colors, which gives you flexibility. The stock provides extra cards, so even a bad layout can sometimes be rescued. Beginners often lose when they miss a move, not when the deal is unwinnable.
3. Yukon, Skill Over Luck
Yukon deals all 52 cards with 21 face down and no stock. You cannot draw extra cards. Every card you turn over comes from the tableau by moving sequences. The lack of a stock means you must plan moves carefully. A single wrong decision can bury a needed card. Yukon is harder than Klondike. The margin for error is smaller. The win rate is lower than FreeCell or draw-one Klondike, but with careful play you can still win a fair portion of deals.
Why Yukon rewards planning
You have no stock to fall back on. To expose face-down cards, build long sequences. Moving a King to an empty column is a critical decision. The game punishes careless play more than Klondike does, which is why it ranks higher.
2. Spider, Variable Challenge by Suits
Spider changes with the number of suits you choose. One-suit Spider is the easiest Spider; four-suit Spider is the hardest level. Four-suit Spider uses 104 cards and needs 8 same-suit King-to-Ace sequences. The tableau has 10 columns, and you can only move sequences of the same suit. With four suits mixed together, building those sequences is a puzzle that requires both luck and deep strategy. Two-suit Spider is a moderate step up from one-suit, but four-suit Spider is one of the most demanding solitaire variants.
How the suits affect win rate
One-suit Spider is nearly as easy as FreeCell. You never need to match suits. Two-suit Spider cuts your win rate significantly. Four-suit Spider, with its 104 cards and strict suit requirements, gives you many losing deals even with perfect play. Adjust the settings, draw mode, number of suits, and passes allowed, to match Spider to your skill level.
1. Scorpion, the Hardest Version of Solitaire
Scorpion is the hardest of the five games. It needs 4 complete same-suit sequences, similar to Spider but with a different layout and no stock. You start with a few cards in seven columns. The remaining three cards are dealt face down as a reserve. You cannot draw extra cards. Moving cards is restricted: you can only move a sequence if it is all the same suit and in descending order. The tableau is small. Empty columns are rare. Many deals are unwinnable, and even winnable ones require precise planning. If you want the toughest version of solitaire to test your skills, Scorpion is the one.
Scorpion offers so few moves that luck plays a smaller role than in Klondike. Skill determines whether you win or lose. That puts it at the top of this ranking.
Recommended Order to Learn the Five Games
If you are new to solitaire or want to build skill gradually, learn the games in this order:
- FreeCell. Start here to learn basic card movement and foundation building with almost guaranteed wins.
- Klondike (draw-one). Practice planning moves with a stock. You will lose some deals, but most are winnable.
- Spider (one-suit). Learn to build same-suit sequences without worrying about suit conflicts.
- Yukon. Develop foresight by playing without a stock. Every move matters.
- Scorpion or four-suit Spider. Tackle the hardest games once you are comfortable with suit restrictions and no-stock play.
This order matches the ranking from easiest to hardest, and it helps you avoid frustration while you improve.