What is "grandfather's clock"

n. (alternative form of grandfather clock English)

Grandfather's Clock is a solitaire game using a deck of 52 playing cards. Its foundation is akin to Clock Solitaire; but while winning the latter depends on the luck of the draw, this game has a strategic side.

Before the game begins, the following cards are taken out of the deck: 2♥, 3♠, 4♦, 5♣, 6♥, 7♠, 8♦, 9♣, 10♥, J♠, Q♦, and K♣. They are then arranged in a circular fashion like a clock face with the 2♥ on the " five o' clock" position, 3♠ on the "six o' clock" position, and so on. These cards will be the foundations. The remaining cards are then shuffled and dealt into eight columns of five cards each on the tableau.

The object of the game is to distribute the cards to the foundations to the point that the top cards of the foundations show the correct numbers on the clock face. (A queen is equal to twelve, a jack eleven.)

Each foundation should be built up by suit until the card with the correct corresponding number on the clock face is placed. The cards on the tableau on the other hand are built down regardless of suit. The top cards of each column are the only ones available for play. Only one card can be played at a time and any space that occurs is filled with any available card.

The game ends either with all cards are put into the foundations with the clock face showing the correct numbers, or when there is a situation in the tableau that allows no more moves.