Crescent Solitaire

Setup

Crescent Solitaire uses two standard 52-card decks (104 cards total). Eight foundation piles are placed in the center: four start with an Ace (one per suit, built upward from Ace to King) and four start with a King (one per suit, built downward from King to Ace). The remaining 96 cards are dealt into 16 tableau piles of 6 cards each, arranged in a crescent shape around the foundations.

Gameplay

Move the top card of any tableau pile onto a matching foundation if it follows the correct sequence (same suit, next rank up or down depending on the foundation). You can also move a top card between tableau piles if it matches the same suit and is exactly one rank higher or lower than the destination pile's top card. Only single cards can be moved — no group moves allowed. Empty tableau piles cannot be refilled.

The Reshuffle Mechanic

Crescent Solitaire features a unique reshuffle mechanic. Up to three times per game, you can perform a "reshuffle" that takes the bottom card of each non-empty tableau pile and moves it to the top. This is a deterministic rotation — not a random shuffle — that cycles buried cards into play. Use your reshuffles wisely, as they are your key tool for uncovering blocked cards.

Strategy Tips

• Focus on building both Ace-up and King-down foundations of the same suit simultaneously — they meet in the middle.
• Save your reshuffles for when you're truly stuck. Early reshuffles are often wasted.
• Pay attention to which cards are buried in tableau piles. Plan moves to uncover cards you need.
• Keep tableau piles as short as possible to reveal more cards after reshuffles.
• When two foundations of the same suit can accept a card, consider which direction benefits you more.

History

Crescent Solitaire (also known as La Demi-Lune or "The Half-Moon") is a classic patience game dating back to at least the 19th century. Its distinctive crescent-shaped tableau layout and the deterministic reshuffle mechanic make it one of the more strategic and challenging solitaire variants. The game is known for being quite difficult — fewer than 1 in 10 deals are typically winnable.