Simple Simon

Games verified move by move

In brief

Each deal below is a real deal from the app: paste its code into the app (“Load a Game Using a Code”) to play the exact same deal. Before the site is published, the winning games are replayed move by move, including scoring, by a program that applies the app’s rules.

A game won in 49 moves

Deal SS1-S1-AAAAABD, with 1 suit. The game takes 49 moves, as counted by the app. Played exactly as shown, without undoing, it ends with 851 points: 500 at the start, -1 × 49 moves, then 4 sequences × 100 = 400.

No sequences removed. Column 1: 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 9 of spades, 9 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 3 of spades, 10 of spades; column 2: 10 of spades, 2 of spades, ace of spades, jack of spades, 5 of spades, 7 of spades, 9 of spades, 7 of spades; column 3: king of spades, 4 of spades, king of spades, 3 of spades, jack of spades, queen of spades, 2 of spades, 8 of spades; column 4: 10 of spades, queen of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, queen of spades, 3 of spades, 3 of spades; column 5: king of spades, jack of spades, 2 of spades, 4 of spades, 8 of spades, 4 of spades; column 6: 8 of spades, jack of spades, 5 of spades, 2 of spades, 6 of spades; column 7: ace of spades, 6 of spades, king of spades, 9 of spades; column 8: 5 of spades, queen of spades, ace of spades; column 9: ace of spades, 10 of spades; column 10: 8 of spades.

At the start. 52 cards in play, 38 breaks, 0 sequences removed, 0 empty columns, score 500.

No sequences removed. Column 1: empty; column 2: 10 of spades, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades; column 3: king of spades, 4 of spades, king of spades, 3 of spades, jack of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades, ace of spades; column 4: 10 of spades, queen of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, queen of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades; column 5: king of spades, jack of spades, 2 of spades; column 6: 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades, ace of spades; column 7: ace of spades, 6 of spades, king of spades, 9 of spades; column 8: 5 of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades; column 9: ace of spades; column 10: 8 of spades, 7 of spades.

After 24 moves. 52 cards in play, 15 breaks, 0 sequences removed, 1 empty columns, score 476.

1 run removed (spades). column 1: empty; column 2: jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades; column 3: king of spades, 4 of spades; column 4: 10 of spades, queen of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, queen of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades; column 5: king of spades, jack of spades; column 6: 3 of spades, 2 of spades; column 7: ace of spades, 6 of spades, king of spades, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades, ace of spades; column 8: 5 of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades; column 9: ace of spades; column 10: 8 of spades, 7 of spades.

After 31 moves. 39 cards in play, 10 breaks, 1 sequences removed, 1 empty columns, score 569.

3 runs removed (spades, spades, spades). column 1: empty; column 2: empty; column 3: empty; column 4: king of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades; column 5: empty; column 6: empty; column 7: empty; column 8: 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of spades, 2 of spades; column 9: ace of spades; column 10: 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades.

After 46 moves. 13 cards in play, 0 break, 3 runs removed, 6 empty columns, score 754.

4 runs removed (spades, spades, spades, spades). column 1: empty; column 2: empty; column 3: empty; column 4: empty; column 5: empty; column 6: empty; column 7: empty; column 8: empty; column 9: empty; column 10: empty.

After move 49: game won. 0 card in play, 0 break, 4 runs removed, 10 empty columns, score 851.
The game’s 49 moves
  1. 7♠: column 2 to column 3
  2. 9♠: column 2 to column 1
  3. 7♠: column 2 to column 10
  4. 5♠: column 2 to column 6
  5. 10♠ and 1 card on top: column 1 to column 2
  6. 3♠: column 1 to column 5
  7. 8♠ and 1 card on top: column 3 to column 2
  8. 2♠: column 3 to column 4
  9. V♠ and 4 cards on top: column 2 to column 3
  10. 2♠ and 1 card on top: column 2 to column 5
  11. 4♠ and 3 cards on top: column 5 to column 6
  12. 7♠ and 1 card on top: column 1 to column 5
  13. 9♠: column 1 to column 2
  14. 9♠: column 1 to column 9
  15. 8♠ and 2 cards on top: column 5 to column 2
  16. 3♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 5
  17. 6♠ and 5 cards on top: column 6 to column 3
  18. 2♠: column 6 to column 4
  19. 4♠ and 2 cards on top: column 5 to column 6
  20. 5♠ and 3 cards on top: column 6 to column 1
  21. A♠: column 8 to column 1
  22. V♠: column 6 to column 8
  23. 10♠ and 1 card on top: column 9 to column 8
  24. 7♠ and 6 cards on top: column 1 to column 6
  25. D♠ and 11 cards on top: column 3 to column 1 (empty)
  26. 10♠ and 4 cards on top: column 2 to column 3
  27. V♠ and 5 cards on top: column 3 to column 2 (empty)
  28. 2♠: column 5 to column 3
  29. 8♠ and 7 cards on top: column 6 to column 7
  30. 3♠ and 1 card on top: column 3 to column 6 (empty)
  31. D♠ and 11 cards on top: column 1 to column 3; run removed (column 3)
  32. 3♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 3
  33. V♠: column 5 to column 4
  34. D♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 5
  35. 5♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 2
  36. 4♠ and 2 cards on top: column 3 to column 1 (empty)
  37. D♠: column 4 to column 3
  38. 9♠ and 8 cards on top: column 7 to column 4
  39. 10♠ and 9 cards on top: column 4 to column 5; run removed (column 5)
  40. D♠ and 3 cards on top: column 8 to column 7
  41. R♠ and 4 cards on top: column 7 to column 4 (empty)
  42. 6♠: column 7 to column 10
  43. 4♠ and 2 cards on top: column 1 to column 8
  44. V♠ and 7 cards on top: column 2 to column 3
  45. 3♠ and 1 card on top: column 6 to column 3
  46. A♠: column 7 to column 3; run removed (column 3)
  47. 5♠ and 3 cards on top: column 8 to column 10
  48. A♠: column 9 to column 10
  49. 8♠ and 7 cards on top: column 10 to column 4; run removed (column 4)

With 2 suits: a blocked group, then a game won

Deal SS1-S2-AAAAAAB, spades and hearts. On move 12, the 3♥ from column 1 is placed on the 4♠ in column 8: this is allowed, as suit does not matter when placing a card. But the two cards 4♠ 3♥ (highlighted) now form a group of two suits.

No runs removed. column 1: 6 of hearts, 2 of spades, 10 of hearts; column 2: king of hearts, ace of spades, queen of spades, 3 of hearts; column 3: 2 of hearts, ace of spades, 7 of hearts, 7 of spades, 3 of spades, 10 of spades, 2 of hearts, 5 of hearts; column 4: king of hearts, 8 of spades, 7 of hearts, 9 of spades, 6 of spades, 8 of hearts, jack of spades; column 5: 4 of hearts, 9 of hearts, 8 of hearts, 5 of hearts, 6 of hearts, queen of hearts, jack of hearts; column 6: king of spades, 4 of hearts, king of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, 10 of spades, 9 of spades, 8 of spades, 7 of spades, 6 of spades, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of spades; column 7: ace of hearts, queen of hearts, 9 of hearts; column 8: 2 of spades, 10 of hearts, 5 of spades, 4 of spades, 3 of hearts; column 9: jack of hearts; column 10: ace of hearts.

Diagram after 12 moves: the group 4♠ 3♥ in column 8, and column 3 (dotted outline), which ends with the 5♥.

By rank, these two cards would fit on the 5♥ in column 3, but the app refuses to move them together: a group must be of a single suit. The 3♥ must first be moved on its own. Yet the same deal can be won: the site's program completes it in 50 moves, for 850 points.

The 50 moves of the game with 2 suits
  1. 5♠: column 1 to column 7
  2. 3♠: column 1 to column 2
  3. 4♠ and 1 card on top: column 2 to column 7
  4. V♠ and 1 card on top: column 1 to column 2
  5. V♥: column 6 to column 5
  6. 9♠: column 6 to column 2
  7. D♠ and 3 cards on top: column 2 to column 6
  8. 7♠: column 2 to column 9
  9. 4♠: column 2 to column 8
  10. 6♠ and 3 cards on top: column 7 to column 9
  11. 8♠ and 5 cards on top: column 9 to column 6
  12. 3♥: column 1 to column 8
  13. 10♥: column 1 to column 5
  14. 2♠: column 1 to column 6
  15. 5♥: column 3 to column 1
  16. 2♥: column 3 to column 2
  17. 10♠: column 3 to column 4
  18. 9♥: column 7 to column 5
  19. V♥: column 9 to column 7
  20. 3♥ and 1 card on top: column 2 to column 9 (empty)
  21. V♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 2
  22. 8♥: column 4 to column 5
  23. A♥: column 10 to column 9
  24. D♠ and 2 cards on top: column 2 to column 10 (empty)
  25. A♠: column 2 to column 6; run removed (column 6)
  26. D♥ and 4 cards on top: column 5 to column 2
  27. 4♥: column 6 to column 1
  28. 3♥: column 8 to column 1
  29. 3♠: column 3 to column 8
  30. 6♠: column 4 to column 3
  31. 9♠: column 4 to column 10
  32. 7♥: column 4 to column 2
  33. 7♠ and 1 card on top: column 3 to column 4
  34. 8♠ and 2 cards on top: column 4 to column 10
  35. 6♥: column 5 to column 2
  36. 5♥: column 5 to column 2
  37. 7♥: column 3 to column 5
  38. D♥ and 1 card on top: column 7 to column 4
  39. 5♠ and 2 cards on top: column 8 to column 10
  40. 9♥ and 2 cards on top: column 5 to column 8
  41. 10♥ and 3 cards on top: column 8 to column 4
  42. A♠: column 3 to column 8
  43. 6♥ and 3 cards on top: column 1 to column 4
  44. 2♥ and 1 card on top: column 9 to column 4; run removed (column 4)
  45. 2♥: column 3 to column 9
  46. 4♥: column 5 to column 2
  47. A♥: column 7 to column 9
  48. 3♥ and 2 cards on top: column 9 to column 2; run removed (column 2)
  49. 2♠ and 1 card on top: column 8 to column 10
  50. D♠ and 11 cards on top: column 10 to column 6; run removed (column 6)

With 4 suits: the deal shown in the screenshots

Deal SS1-S4-AAADBEF, the most difficult: a standard deck, all four suits mixed together, with only one copy of each card. This is the deal shown in the app screenshots on this site. The site's program wins it in 80 moves, for 820 points; the Strategy page explains its opening moves.

No runs removed. column 1: ace of spades, king of hearts, ace of clubs, 4 of diamonds, king of diamonds, 6 of clubs, 10 of hearts, 4 of clubs; column 2: 3 of diamonds, 2 of diamonds, 4 of spades, 9 of clubs, ace of diamonds, 7 of clubs, 8 of diamonds, 9 of hearts; column 3: jack of hearts, 6 of spades, 8 of hearts, 5 of hearts, 2 of spades, 3 of clubs, 6 of hearts, king of spades; column 4: jack of spades, 7 of diamonds, 2 of clubs, 10 of spades, 9 of diamonds, 10 of diamonds, 5 of spades; column 5: 2 of hearts, 9 of spades, king of clubs, 8 of clubs, queen of spades, ace of hearts; column 6: queen of clubs, 7 of hearts, 10 of clubs, jack of clubs, queen of hearts; column 7: jack of diamonds, 3 of hearts, 5 of clubs, 6 of diamonds; column 8: 8 of spades, 4 of hearts, queen of diamonds; column 9: 3 of spades, 7 of spades; column 10: 5 of diamonds.

Diagram of deal SS1-S4-AAADBEF at the start.
The 80 moves of the game with 4 suits
  1. 5♦: column 10 to column 7
  2. 4♣: column 1 to column 10 (empty)
  3. 9♥: column 2 to column 1
  4. 6♦ and 1 card on top: column 7 to column 9
  5. 4♣: column 10 to column 7
  6. 10♥ and 1 card on top: column 1 to column 10 (empty)
  7. 5♣ and 1 card on top: column 7 to column 1
  8. 8♦: column 2 to column 10
  9. 6♣ and 2 cards on top: column 1 to column 2
  10. D♦: column 8 to column 1
  11. 3♥: column 7 to column 8
  12. V♦: column 7 to column 1
  13. R♦ and 2 cards on top: column 1 to column 7 (empty)
  14. 4♦: column 1 to column 9
  15. D♥: column 6 to column 3
  16. V♣: column 6 to column 3
  17. 10♣: column 6 to column 3
  18. 6♦ and 2 cards on top: column 9 to column 6
  19. 4♥ and 1 card on top: column 8 to column 4
  20. 7♠: column 9 to column 8
  21. 3♠: column 9 to column 2
  22. 8♦: column 10 to column 9 (empty)
  23. 6♦ and 2 cards on top: column 6 to column 8
  24. 7♥: column 6 to column 9
  25. V♣ and 1 card on top: column 3 to column 6
  26. 10♥ and 1 card on top: column 10 to column 7
  27. A♣: column 1 to column 10 (empty)
  28. D♥: column 3 to column 1
  29. 6♦ and 2 cards on top: column 8 to column 9
  30. 8♠ and 1 card on top: column 8 to column 7
  31. R♠: column 3 to column 8 (empty)
  32. 6♦ and 2 cards on top: column 9 to column 7
  33. 6♥: column 3 to column 9
  34. 3♠: column 2 to column 7
  35. 3♣: column 3 to column 2
  36. 2♠: column 3 to column 7
  37. 5♥: column 3 to column 9
  38. 4♥ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 9
  39. 7♥ and 4 cards on top: column 9 to column 3
  40. 7♣ and 4 cards on top: column 2 to column 9
  41. A♦: column 2 to column 7
  42. 9♣: column 2 to column 6
  43. 4♠: column 2 to column 4
  44. A♦: column 7 to column 2
  45. 3♠ and 1 card on top: column 7 to column 4
  46. 3♦ and 2 cards on top: column 2 to column 7
  47. R♥ and 1 card on top: column 1 to column 2 (empty)
  48. A♠: column 1 to column 4
  49. 8♥ and 5 cards on top: column 3 to column 1 (empty)
  50. 5♠ and 4 cards on top: column 4 to column 3
  51. 8♥ and 5 cards on top: column 1 to column 6
  52. 6♠ and 5 cards on top: column 3 to column 1 (empty)
  53. V♥: column 3 to column 2
  54. 10♦: column 4 to column 3 (empty)
  55. 9♦: column 4 to column 3
  56. 10♠: column 4 to column 2
  57. 2♣: column 4 to column 9
  58. 6♦ and 5 cards on top: column 7 to column 4
  59. 6♠ and 5 cards on top: column 1 to column 7
  60. 10♠: column 2 to column 1 (empty)
  61. A♣: column 10 to column 9
  62. 7♦ and 6 cards on top: column 4 to column 10 (empty)
  63. 10♠: column 1 to column 4
  64. A♥: column 5 to column 1 (empty)
  65. D♠: column 5 to column 8
  66. 7♣ and 6 cards on top: column 9 to column 5
  67. V♠ and 1 card on top: column 4 to column 8
  68. 8♣ and 7 cards on top: column 5 to column 4 (empty)
  69. 8♦: column 9 to column 3
  70. R♣: column 5 to column 9 (empty)
  71. 9♠: column 5 to column 8
  72. 8♠ and 7 cards on top: column 7 to column 8; run removed (column 8)
  73. 8♥ and 5 cards on top: column 6 to column 7
  74. 10♥ and 7 cards on top: column 7 to column 2
  75. A♥: column 1 to column 5
  76. 2♥ and 1 card on top: column 5 to column 2; run removed (column 2)
  77. 10♦ and 2 cards on top: column 3 to column 7
  78. 7♦ and 6 cards on top: column 10 to column 7; run removed (column 7)
  79. 8♣ and 7 cards on top: column 4 to column 6
  80. D♣ and 11 cards on top: column 6 to column 9; run removed (column 9)

Deals to try

The code indicates the number of suits (S1, S2 or S4) followed by the shuffle. The move count is that of the verified game, not the shortest possible.

Game codeSuitsVerified game
SS1-S1-AAAAABD1won in 49 moves, 851 points
SS1-S2-AAAAAAB2won in 50 moves, 850 points
SS1-S4-AAADBEF4won in 80 moves, 820 points