How to Play Waxing Moon Solitaire

A very challenging two-deck Forty Thieves variant with 12 tableau columns and a strict rule: only Kings can fill empty tableau spaces. Draw one card at a time from the stock with no redeal.

Setup

1. The eight foundation piles start empty; you'll move an Ace to each one as you turn it up from the tableau or waste.
2. Create 12 tableau columns, dealing 4 cards face up to each column (48 cards total).
3. Place the remaining 56 cards in the stock; you'll draw one card at a time to the waste.
4. One pass only—no redeal allowed.

How to play

• Click the stock to draw one card face up to the waste pile.
• Build tableau piles downward in the same suit: a 9 of Hearts goes on a 10 of Hearts.
• Move only the top card from each tableau pile; you cannot move sequences together.
• Fill empty tableau spaces only with a King (either a single King or a King from the waste pile).
• Cards that can no longer be built upon in the tableau move to the foundations automatically.
• You can change this auto-move behavior in Settings if you prefer to move foundation cards yourself.
• With only Kings filling empty spaces, tableau flexibility is limited—use empty spaces strategically.

How to win

Objective: Move all 104 cards to eight foundations, building each from Ace up to King in the same suit.

You win when all eight foundations reach King in their suit. You're stuck if the stock is exhausted and no more moves are possible.

Tips

• Empty tableau spaces are precious and limited to Kings; don't waste them on low-value moves.
• Look for Kings in the waste pile early; they'll unlock the flexibility you need later.
• With no redeal, manage the stock carefully—sometimes it's better to hold a card in the waste than commit it to a tableau that might need flexibility later.

Play Waxing Moon free on Windows

CardTray is a free solitaire app for Windows that includes Waxing Moon alongside 300+ other games. It saves every move as you play, so you can close the window and pick the game up later, replay any deal, and take on a new Daily Challenge deal every day. Browse every game in the Game Gallery.

Related games

More games from the Forty Thieves family:

• Block — A challenging two-deck game where you build foundations by suit and must strategically work with just the cards on the table, with no second chances.
• Corona — A two-deck challenge from the Forty Thieves family.
• Double Limited — This big four-deck challenge spreads 208 cards over 16 tableau piles and 16 foundations, with same-suit building throughout and only the top card of each tableau pile ever movable.
• Famous Fifty — A challenging two-deck variant of Forty Thieves where you build foundations in suit and tableau sequences in the same suit, with flexible tableau spaces.
• Forty and Eight — A challenging two-deck game with eight tableau piles, a large stock, and one chance to redeal.