Subject: Freecell Game 1703491

Date: Tue Jun 17 00:33:01 2014
User: papalote
Message:
My wife and I both play Freecell often, but are both stumped on game #1703491. Has anyone else had any problems with that particular game? If you know a solution, please share it. It is the only game we have not been able to win to date.

Date: Tue Jun 17 06:57:42 2014
User: joeygray
Message:
Since my desktop is nearly ten years old now and still running XP, I have no recourse to a game number that high. Isn't 11982 still in there?

Date: Tue Jun 17 08:51:42 2014
User: papalote
Message:
We have Windows 8. Our games come up at random. I read about 11982, but do not think I have ever played it. This is the only game we have not been able to win.

Date: Tue Jun 17 09:22:08 2014
User: roo
Message:
I tried to play it but the game numbers only go up to one million. My computer is about five years old though.

Date: Tue Jun 17 14:04:54 2014
User: ElGuapo
Message:
According to the site linked below, that deal should be winnable.

"Of the first 10 million deals, 126 are unsolvable in the standard four-freecell game:

11982, 146692, 186216, 455889, 495505, 512118, 517776, 781948, 1155215, 1254900, 1387739, 1495908, 1573069, 1631319, 1633509, 1662054, 2022676, ..."

Link: archived FreeCell FAQ page

Date: Tue Jun 17 16:32:02 2014
User: joeygray
Message:
Ty, some quick arithmetic tells me we were fairly unlucky to get an unwinnable in the first set as Microsoft released it way back when: only .41 per 32k. Think how different freecell would have been historically if all the games in the initial set had been solvable.

Date: Tue Jun 17 17:00:39 2014
User: Punster
Message:
Hey papalote, there might be a way to play the older version of Freecell, the one that ranges from 1 to 1000000. I recently got a new Windows 7 computer (couple of months ago) and I was able to copy the older version onto my new computer. It's the version that still gives you the option to select a game or play a new game. I searched on the internet for a way to do it & it worked. Although, I'm not sure it would work for Windows 8, but it might be worth the try. Let me know if you're interested. Note: it did NOT let me copy over the stats that I had accumulated though. But it still looks & plays like the older version. I too, have played the newer version & don't like the way you don't have the option to select a game or play a new game.

Date: Wed Jun 18 06:21:56 2014
User: papalote
Message:
ElGuapo Thanks for the FreeCell link. I didn't see the game 1703491 listed as unsolvable, but may pay the $5 for info about a way to win it. We have spent hours on it, which is not like us. If is solvable, we sure have not found the key moves. We are not unhappy with the version of FreeCell we have on Windows 8, we just need to get past this one game, and we are too stubborn to admit defeat. Thanks

Date: Thu Jun 19 05:12:13 2014
User: XianSheldon
Message:
If this is the same game I am looking at, it is tough.

Is this the game with the AD and AS buried by 2 cards in column 3???

If so it is solveable.

Resist the temptation to get at the AD and AS immediately.

Go with the counter intuitive clearing of column 7 which leaves you with all 4 freecells filled and only 1 empty column. Ouch!

Looks bad but can be solved from here.

Next step is to get to position of 3 occupied freecells but 1 empty freecell and 1 empty column.

Then on from there --- I can give you more hints if you want but figured you didn't want a full solution just a hint to know the right opening

XS

Date: Thu Jun 19 05:14:15 2014
User: XianSheldon
Message:
If this is the same game I am looking at, it is tough.

Is this the game with the AD and AS buried by 2 cards in column 3???

If so it is solveable.

Resist the temptation to get at the AD and AS immediately.

Go with the counter intuitive clearing of column 7 which leaves you with all 4 freecells filled and only 1 empty column. Ouch!

Looks bad but can be solved from here.

Next step is to get to position of 3 occupied freecells but 1 empty freecell and 1 empty column.

Then on from there --- I can give you more hints if you want but figured you didn't want a full solution just a hint to know the right opening

XS

Date: Thu Jun 19 05:14:40 2014
User: XianSheldon
Message:
If this is the same game I am looking at, it is tough.

Is this the game with the AD and AS buried by 2 cards in column 3???

If so it is solveable.

Resist the temptation to get at the AD and AS immediately.

Go with the counter intuitive clearing of column 6 which leaves you with all 4 freecells filled and only 1 empty column. Ouch!

Looks bad but can be solved from here.

Next step is to get to position of 3 occupied freecells but 1 empty freecell and 1 empty column.

Then on from there --- I can give you more hints if you want but figured you didn't want a full solution just a hint to know the right opening

XS

Date: Thu Jun 19 05:17:05 2014
User: XianSheldon
Message:
Sorry for multiple posts

Something weird with my computer.

Its column 6 you clear NOT column 7 --- typo

(This puts AH up.)

Sorry about that!

Date: Fri Jun 20 11:40:50 2014
User: papalote
Message:
Thanks for the tip. I am going to copy and paste your solution and make a copy to follow when trying the game, and we will attempt to finally win when hubby is home tonight. It will be great to solve this and move on. We both enjoy playing FC to relax, and miss it. (too hard headed to pass on this game without winning it). We will let you know how it works. Right now I am not sure what AD and AS mean, but will try to figure it out when I look at the game. Thanks

Date: Fri Jun 20 11:47:19 2014
User: papalote
Message:
To XianSheldon, AS- Ace of Spades, AD-Ace of Diamond - duh, that was easy to figure out!! No wonder I can't win the game. LOL! Yes, AS and AD are in the 3rd column, so we are talking about the same game. Got to go now, but we will try it tonight! Thanks

Date: Fri Jun 20 11:49:45 2014
User: TNmountainman
Message:
"Ace of diamonds" and "ace of spades".

For even more fun (truly), play freecell on this site instead of the Mr. Softy version. You'll be very glad you did.

Date: Fri Jun 20 11:59:28 2014
User: papalote
Message:
XianSheldon, Ok could not resist trying! Got column 7 cleared, but no luck with step 2!! Guess I had better wait for hubby, but may need second clue!

Date: Fri Jun 20 23:43:04 2014
User: XianSheldon
Message:
Sorry,

You do not clear column 7,

You must clear column 6.

My mistake, I posted a correction but maybe you didn't see it.

XS

Date: Fri Jun 20 23:47:41 2014
User: papalote
Message:
XianSheldon, We cleared row 6, all went as you said AH up, did step two and proceeded to get one free cell and one free column. Sorry, but stumped after that. Both stared at it, saw a couple of moves, but they didn't seem to lead to another move. Always one card too many, or one space too short!! Help appreciated!!

Date: Sat Jun 21 23:21:03 2014
User: papalote
Message:
WE WON THE GAME! I started making less obvious moves, and the cards started to move. Thanks for the help. It was good to get that game behind us! Thanks for letting us know it could be won! I like a challenge, but .... that one was tough! thanks

Date: Thu Jul 3 09:39:47 2014
User: papalote
Message:
Ok, we are stumped on another game! Game # 117401! We have at least 4 1/2 hours into the game with no results! I checked, and it is not on the unwinnable list. Anyone have an opening moves? We can take it from there!Thanks

Date: Thu Jul 3 11:26:01 2014
User: hotnurse
Message:
papalote, not many at this site play the MS freecell version...being that this site has much more to offer and already burns too much of our time. But that's just how I feel..........

Date: Thu Jul 3 12:03:08 2014
User: Punster
Message:
papalote, I took a look at game #117401 with a top row of JC AS 3H AD 8H 6C 2S 10D.
I was able to complete the game and I cleared the 8th column first with the KH at the top, then worked to clear the 6th column, with the KD at the top. Does that help ?

Let me know.

P.S., I play this site a lot, but I'm a MS Freecell junkie from way back.

Date: Thu Jul 3 20:18:58 2014
User: papalote
Message:
Punster, We play MS a lot but we have been stumped a couple of times lately. Thanks for the help. Worked right away. Papalote

Date: Thu Jul 3 21:05:57 2014
User: Punster
Message:
Great news, glad to help. Thanks for letting me know.
Just to let you know, I started playing MS Freecell back in 1997 and actually have kept track of the games. I started at game #1 and played consecutively for years. I didn't move to the next game until I won the previous game. I've gotten all the way up to 74350, but I slowed down a lot when I got more involved playing on this website.