The Arbiter’s Patience
Every case is judged. None is dismissed.
A solitaire with one standard 52-card deck. Ace counts 1, Jack 11, Queen 12, King 13.
Setup
Deal 16 cards face up in a 4×4 grid: the Court. The other 36 cards, face down, are the Docket.
Play
- A ruling: remove two cards in the same row or the same column whose values add up to 14: A+K, 2+Q, 3+J, 4+10, 5+9, 6+8 or 7+7. They don't need to be next to each other.
- Fill each gap at once from the top of the Docket, the earlier gap in reading order (left to right, top to bottom) first.
- Recusal, twice per game: move any one Court card to the bottom of the Docket and fill its place from the top. On screen: press Recuse a card and then click the card, or click the card first and then press Recuse.
- When the Docket is empty, the Court closes ranks: after every ruling, the remaining cards slide together in reading order with no gaps.
Winning
Judge all 52 cards. You lose when no ruling is possible and you can no longer recuse.
Strategy
- Look a move ahead. A ruling that opens two new pairs is better than one that strands a card.
- Save your Recusals for when you are truly stuck, and recuse a card that has no partner left in sight.
- Once the Court closes ranks, every ruling reshuffles the rows. Plan the order of your last pairs.