Peg Solitaire: the classic puzzle, made of clay

About Peg Solitaire

Granny Quelonia set out clay balls on the cross-shaped board at Challenge Square and threw down one of the oldest puzzles around: keep jumping until only one ball is left. Each ball jumps over its neighbor in a straight line — up, down or sideways, never diagonally — and lands in the empty hole right behind it; the ball it jumped comes off the board. You only clear a level when one ball is left: finish in the center hole for 3 stars, anywhere else for 2. There are seven levels, each starting from a classic pattern on the 33-hole board: the Cross, the Plus Sign, the Fireplace, the Pyramid, the Arrow, the Diamond and, last of all, the full board, with 32 balls and only the center hole empty. Every one of them can be solved, and each was checked one by one. When there are no jumps left and two or more balls remain, the game lets you know, so you can undo your last jumps or restart the level. HINT shows a jump that still lets you get down to one ball, in the center whenever possible; if the board has no way out anymore, it tells you how many jumps to undo. The game remembers the level you stopped on, and your points for the whole game go to the site TOP 5.

In Selminha's words

“Peg solitaire is more than 300 years old: in France, a picture from 1697 already shows a princess with the board right beside her, and the game has never gone out of style. I wanted ours made of clay, with Granny Quelonia telling that story and a big board that little hands can tap without missing.”

How to play peg solitaire and tips for getting down to one ball

1. Tap or click a ball: it lifts up, and green rings light up the holes where it can land. Then tap or click the hole you want. You can also drag the ball. Tap the same ball again to put it back.
2. A ball can only jump over a neighbor, in a straight line, into the empty hole right behind it — and the ball it jumps comes off the board. A ball that can't jump won't lift up.
3. UNDO takes back your last jump, and the ball that was jumped comes back too. HINT lights up a ball and the hole it should jump to; with a hint, the level is worth 2 stars at most.
4. On a computer, the arrow keys or W A S D move around the holes, Enter or Space pick up a ball and jump, Z undoes and H shows a hint. On a controller: D-pad, A to pick up and jump, X to undo and B for a hint.
5. Tip: start with the balls on the edges and save the ones in the middle for last. A ball left alone, far from the others, almost always ends up stuck.

The rules

The jump

A ball jumps over its neighbor in a straight line — up, down or sideways, never diagonally — and lands in the empty hole right behind it.

The jumped ball

It comes off the board. Every jump leaves one ball fewer.

The goal

Leave just one ball. That's the only way to clear a level, and it's worth more in the center hole.

No jumps left

If there are no jumps left and two or more balls remain, the game lets you know: you can undo your last jumps or restart the level.

Undo and hint

UNDO takes back the last jump. HINT shows a jump that still lets you get down to one ball; if the board has no way out, it tells you how many jumps to undo. With a hint, the level is worth 2 stars at most.

Saved game

The game remembers which level you are on. When you come back, you can keep going or start over.

The seven levels

The board

A cross with 33 holes, the English board. Each level starts from a classic pattern of balls.

The patterns

Cross (6 balls), Plus Sign (9), Fireplace (11), Pyramid (16), Arrow (17), Diamond (24) and the full board (32), which starts with only the center hole empty.

Every level can be solved

On every level you can finish with a single ball in the center hole — each one was checked one by one.

Controls on phone and computer

Computer

Tap or click a ball and then the landing hole, or drag the ball · arrow keys or W A S D move around the holes · Enter or Space pick up and jump · Z undo · H hint · P or Esc pause · M sound · F full screen · controller: D-pad, A to pick up and jump, X undo, B hint, Start pause.

Touch

Phone held upright, in full screen; on a tablet, the game follows the way you're holding it; on a computer, it's landscape. Tap the balls and holes directly, or drag a ball with your finger. UNDO and HINT sit at the bottom, just above where your thumb rests. Your game is saved on the device.

Stars and points

Stars

One ball left in the center hole: 3 stars. One ball left in any other hole: 2. With a hint, 2 at most.

Points

Each star is worth 100 points on level 1, 200 on level 2 and so on, up to 700 on level 7; speed adds up to 100 more on each level.

Leaderboard

After the seventh level, your points for the whole game go to the site TOP 5.