For those who might not be familiar with the term "refresh", it means for the computer to update all of the information for the page you are currently using. You accomplish this by clicking on the "refresh" icon (which is not on the Solitaire Craving page but above it at the top of your screen). The icon varies depending on the web browser you are using. For Firefox, it's a medium royal blue line in a circle with an arrow at the end and it's in the upper left corner of the screen.
THE most important use of "refreshing" is to make sure you have updated the page to show ALL of the clues that have been given to that point. So, especially, after having been away from the game for several hours, the first thing you should do is refresh the screen. It's also helpful to do while you're playing, just in case a number of new clues have been posted.
THE most important use of "refreshing" is to make sure you have updated the page to show ALL of the clues that have been given to that point. So, especially, after having been away from the game for several hours, the first thing you should do is refresh the screen. It's also helpful to do while you're playing, just in case a number of new clues have been posted.
For those using MACs you won't find "refresh" you need to go to "View" and click on "Reload this page."
Thanks, Dick! Excellent! I need anyone out there to provide additional information such as you have, to add other suggestions, or to fine-tune any of my explanations. 
There's one Solitaire Craving term left to go over -- which is to "swap" or "switch" cards. It's a little difficult to explain so I'll be using an example with specific cards to make it clearer. It really isn't as scary as it looks!
Five conditions are necessary to require a "swap" or "switch":
1 - Both cards (a number card or face card of the same color) are already exposed on one of the seven piles of cards (for example, the 7 of Hearts and the 7 of Diamonds).
2 - Card A (the 7 of Hearts) already has other cards played on top of it.
3 - Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) is "open" (with no cards on it).
4 - Card A (the 7 of Hearts) needs to be played up to the Ace piles onto the 6 of Hearts but it is blocked because the 6 of Clubs and 5 of Diamonds are played on it.
5 - There are one or more other Hearts past the 7 of Hearts) to be played up to the Ace pile.
So, you move the 6 of Clubs and 5 of Diamonds (the string of cards played on Card A) over to Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) which then frees up the 7 of Hearts. You can now play the 7 Hearts up to the Hearts Ace pile.
Then, in a full swap or switch, you move Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) over to where the 7 of Hearts had been. You do this ONLY if Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) is on top of an unexposed card which you can now turn over.
If Card B is the last card of a pile, you probably will not need to move it to where Card A was (unless you physically need a space for a King). I call these "mini-swaps" where you only have to do the first half of the swap as described.
Once you do several of these, you will get the hang of it. It will become clearer when you can actually walk yourself through one in the course of a game.
I hope you find this more helpful than confusing!
Five conditions are necessary to require a "swap" or "switch":
1 - Both cards (a number card or face card of the same color) are already exposed on one of the seven piles of cards (for example, the 7 of Hearts and the 7 of Diamonds).
2 - Card A (the 7 of Hearts) already has other cards played on top of it.
3 - Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) is "open" (with no cards on it).
4 - Card A (the 7 of Hearts) needs to be played up to the Ace piles onto the 6 of Hearts but it is blocked because the 6 of Clubs and 5 of Diamonds are played on it.
5 - There are one or more other Hearts past the 7 of Hearts) to be played up to the Ace pile.
So, you move the 6 of Clubs and 5 of Diamonds (the string of cards played on Card A) over to Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) which then frees up the 7 of Hearts. You can now play the 7 Hearts up to the Hearts Ace pile.
Then, in a full swap or switch, you move Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) over to where the 7 of Hearts had been. You do this ONLY if Card B (the 7 of Diamonds) is on top of an unexposed card which you can now turn over.
If Card B is the last card of a pile, you probably will not need to move it to where Card A was (unless you physically need a space for a King). I call these "mini-swaps" where you only have to do the first half of the swap as described.
Once you do several of these, you will get the hang of it. It will become clearer when you can actually walk yourself through one in the course of a game.
I hope you find this more helpful than confusing!
Miscellaneous: When you log on to the Solitaire Craving website, the first array of cards that you see is the Game of the Day. For some of us, the date of the game is always a day ahead because the game originates in Australia.
TIP: No matter where you are on the website -- working on yesterday's game, reading something on the Forum, checking out someone's profile, or playing a game from the Archives -- clicking on "Play" will take you straight to the Game of the Day.
TIP: No matter where you are on the website -- working on yesterday's game, reading something on the Forum, checking out someone's profile, or playing a game from the Archives -- clicking on "Play" will take you straight to the Game of the Day.
If you want to know who is posting comments on the game, check out the SC Cross Reference file on the Forum.
Here's another take on whether cards play "over" or "up" from Game #2070, December 14, 2011. Anita (aka "Mom") gave the following clue: "6 of Spades straight up got me to 123." Then Mark (aka "mclarkjr") asked: "Mom, did you mean 6 of Clubs straight up? I think 6 of Spades plays over from the deck." Here is Mom's response:
"When I say straight up, I mean the card plays from where it originated, whether it's the dog pile (or deck), or the cards on the bottom. It's because when I used to play with real cards, the dog pile was under the aces' piles, so it was indeed "UP". And we used "straight up" on this site for the first few years. It's only been for the last couple years there's been a differentiation between "straight up" and "straight over". But it doesn't matter. They both mean the same thing. Both mean the card goes from where it started to the aces without moving anywhere else first. So they are actually interchangeable. Sorry if it confused you."
"When I say straight up, I mean the card plays from where it originated, whether it's the dog pile (or deck), or the cards on the bottom. It's because when I used to play with real cards, the dog pile was under the aces' piles, so it was indeed "UP". And we used "straight up" on this site for the first few years. It's only been for the last couple years there's been a differentiation between "straight up" and "straight over". But it doesn't matter. They both mean the same thing. Both mean the card goes from where it started to the aces without moving anywhere else first. So they are actually interchangeable. Sorry if it confused you."
Thanks Susan.
There are dozens of ways to complete a game as is evident in the array of scores which range from whatever the low score is to 150 moves and above. Basically, however, there are two ways to play a game on Solitaire Craving -- 1) play to finish, and 2) play to finish with the lowest number of moves.
Most newcomers play to finish. Whoever heard of playing Solitaire any other way?! They use whatever clues that help them to finish (no matter how many moves it takes), they're happy with that, and they go on with their day.
Other players, once they understand the concept of finishing the game with the lowest number of moves, usually find it hard to resist that challenge! These are the players left behind -- still giving clues if they can, or hoping for more clues throughout the day, and searching for ways to solve the same game but with lower and lower moves.
Most newcomers play to finish. Whoever heard of playing Solitaire any other way?! They use whatever clues that help them to finish (no matter how many moves it takes), they're happy with that, and they go on with their day.
Other players, once they understand the concept of finishing the game with the lowest number of moves, usually find it hard to resist that challenge! These are the players left behind -- still giving clues if they can, or hoping for more clues throughout the day, and searching for ways to solve the same game but with lower and lower moves.
In addition to seeking Lowest Moves, the other aspect of competition on Solitaire Craving is for Fastest Times. Most newcomers to the website are shocked at the speeds with which players can finish a game! In November of 2011, a couple of players posed the question about speed (which many of us have had) and others gave interesting input on the subject. Their comments can be found under a separate thread entitled, "Solitaire 101 - Fastest Times".
Here are a few suggestions based on my own experience:
1 - Take notes: If you aren't young and/or don't have a super memory, it is very helpful to take notes and write down clues as you read through the day's chat. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but you might want to at least put the game number and date at the top so you don't get the clues mixed up with another game.
2 - Having problems? Re-read notes and double-check clues: If you are struggling with a game and continue to get the same score over and over (whether it's one move or many moves from low score), it's always good to RE-READ your notes. Make sure you are playing the cards as the clues indicate. (For example, maybe you're playing the Queen of Spades first when it should be the Queen of Clubs first.) Also, you might double-check the clues to make sure that you wrote them down accurately or that you didn't skip over a key clue. (Oh, right! The 3 of Diamonds is supposed to play UP! How did I miss that?!) This might save you a lot of time and aggravation.
3 - "Map" of the cards: If a game is especially complicated and I have the time, I will make a "map" of the cards on the clue page for that game. I write the numbers 1 through 7 as headings and under each number I write down the first card that is already showing. As I go through the game initially, I write down each additional card in its corresponding column as it is revealed. This may take 7 or 8 minutes to get the entire layout of the cards below. Like any map, it gives you a handle on where you are going instead of going "blindly" with no specific direction in mind.
Once you know which cards are where under the piles, it helps you see the logic behind the clues and also serves as a guide for other moves you might make. If it's too much to write out the entire "map", you might at least want to write down several column numbers and the last card or two at the bottom of those piles, especially if you continue to forget which card is at the bottom of which pile. This allows you to think through the next moves based on the cards you know are there instead of relying on your memory. Since you're making fewer plays based on trial-and-error, you end up not playing the game over and over unnecessarily. In the end, having this map to refer to helps to save time because it eliminates some of the guesswork. (Again, this would be helpful if you don't have a very good memory. If you do, then this would be a waste of time!)
Another example of where a "mini-map" might be helpful is when there are two cards exposed below that are a pair -- for example, two black 6's or two red Q's. If it's not in a clue, which one should you play first? It might be beneficial to jot down the two cards involved and then write down the cards that are underneath each one as they are revealed. Again, this can help eliminate some of the guesswork as you plan your next moves.
Having done a complete map of the cards is also extremely beneficial when the score is lowered and the entire approach to playing the game is changed. It's natural to get used to seeing the cards in a certain order when playing the game one way. Then, when you have to play it another way, the cards all seem new and you might feel a little lost. In that case, you can easily refer to the map and get right back in the game!
1 - Take notes: If you aren't young and/or don't have a super memory, it is very helpful to take notes and write down clues as you read through the day's chat. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but you might want to at least put the game number and date at the top so you don't get the clues mixed up with another game.
2 - Having problems? Re-read notes and double-check clues: If you are struggling with a game and continue to get the same score over and over (whether it's one move or many moves from low score), it's always good to RE-READ your notes. Make sure you are playing the cards as the clues indicate. (For example, maybe you're playing the Queen of Spades first when it should be the Queen of Clubs first.) Also, you might double-check the clues to make sure that you wrote them down accurately or that you didn't skip over a key clue. (Oh, right! The 3 of Diamonds is supposed to play UP! How did I miss that?!) This might save you a lot of time and aggravation.
3 - "Map" of the cards: If a game is especially complicated and I have the time, I will make a "map" of the cards on the clue page for that game. I write the numbers 1 through 7 as headings and under each number I write down the first card that is already showing. As I go through the game initially, I write down each additional card in its corresponding column as it is revealed. This may take 7 or 8 minutes to get the entire layout of the cards below. Like any map, it gives you a handle on where you are going instead of going "blindly" with no specific direction in mind.
Once you know which cards are where under the piles, it helps you see the logic behind the clues and also serves as a guide for other moves you might make. If it's too much to write out the entire "map", you might at least want to write down several column numbers and the last card or two at the bottom of those piles, especially if you continue to forget which card is at the bottom of which pile. This allows you to think through the next moves based on the cards you know are there instead of relying on your memory. Since you're making fewer plays based on trial-and-error, you end up not playing the game over and over unnecessarily. In the end, having this map to refer to helps to save time because it eliminates some of the guesswork. (Again, this would be helpful if you don't have a very good memory. If you do, then this would be a waste of time!)
Another example of where a "mini-map" might be helpful is when there are two cards exposed below that are a pair -- for example, two black 6's or two red Q's. If it's not in a clue, which one should you play first? It might be beneficial to jot down the two cards involved and then write down the cards that are underneath each one as they are revealed. Again, this can help eliminate some of the guesswork as you plan your next moves.
Having done a complete map of the cards is also extremely beneficial when the score is lowered and the entire approach to playing the game is changed. It's natural to get used to seeing the cards in a certain order when playing the game one way. Then, when you have to play it another way, the cards all seem new and you might feel a little lost. In that case, you can easily refer to the map and get right back in the game!
Here's an important point to keep in mind regarding the discrepancy in scores:
Have you ever had the following experience? You think you've played the game using all of the clues given and yet there's a large gap (of 3 or 5 or 9 or 12+ moves) between your score and the low score for that game. I used to get so frustrated when that continued to happen. I couldn't figure out how the players at the top were able to find 3 to 12 moves not to make that I was making.
Possible solution? Assuming that you have correctly incorporated most of the clues, the explanation is that, as you played through Round One (the first pass through the deck), you MISSED a move. Let's say that you missed bringing a certain card down (for example, the 9 of Hearts). Shortly thereafter, you came across a black 8 that would have played on the 9 of Hearts. Since you skipped the 9 of Hearts, you then would have to flip the deck and go through the entire deck again to get back to it. So, by not playing it until Round Two, you also possibly missed earlier opportunities to play on that very card. Hence, you added more moves to your score.
This could happen with not bringing a certain card down that should be brought down, or by failing to move cards around among the seven piles and not revealing a card that was needed to play on.
If a game can be finished with low score in one flip and you do it in two flips (because of the reason given above), your score will go higher for every unnecessary flip you make.
If the game has been declared a "misslanny" (a "no-flipper") and you solve it by doing one flip, then you automatically cannot achieve low score for that game.
** Following the clues and playing the cards in the proper sequence are the keys to achieving low score.
Have you ever had the following experience? You think you've played the game using all of the clues given and yet there's a large gap (of 3 or 5 or 9 or 12+ moves) between your score and the low score for that game. I used to get so frustrated when that continued to happen. I couldn't figure out how the players at the top were able to find 3 to 12 moves not to make that I was making.
Possible solution? Assuming that you have correctly incorporated most of the clues, the explanation is that, as you played through Round One (the first pass through the deck), you MISSED a move. Let's say that you missed bringing a certain card down (for example, the 9 of Hearts). Shortly thereafter, you came across a black 8 that would have played on the 9 of Hearts. Since you skipped the 9 of Hearts, you then would have to flip the deck and go through the entire deck again to get back to it. So, by not playing it until Round Two, you also possibly missed earlier opportunities to play on that very card. Hence, you added more moves to your score.
This could happen with not bringing a certain card down that should be brought down, or by failing to move cards around among the seven piles and not revealing a card that was needed to play on.
If a game can be finished with low score in one flip and you do it in two flips (because of the reason given above), your score will go higher for every unnecessary flip you make.
If the game has been declared a "misslanny" (a "no-flipper") and you solve it by doing one flip, then you automatically cannot achieve low score for that game.
** Following the clues and playing the cards in the proper sequence are the keys to achieving low score.
The following history of the Solitaire Craving website has been provided by Donna (aka "donnamusica"). Thanks, Donna!
Adam Lyttle is the creator of Solitaire Craving. As so many have noticed, the date of each game is always a day after us in North America as Adam lives in Australia. He is a software developer from the Southern Coast of Australia. To woo his Annie (Ann-Maree), he created this game as she was always a huge solitaire fan...even of the Windows format of solitaire that came with her computer.
After beginning the site and playing regularly with all of us, he and Annie married. The anniversary of their wedding is in January and to mark that he has a lovely wedding emblem on the cards on that date. That was such a success that he added Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter and April Fool's Day graphics as well.
I began playing when I received a link to play the April Fool's Day version. All the cards are backwards on that day and it makes it even more of a challenge than it already is. I admit that hooked me and 5 years later I am still playing!
Adam created the "Become a Fan" format after two years, I believe, when he got stronger servers for the site as it was constantly crashing in the beginning. The addition of ads solved the financial problem. At first, people donated money when they could to help out but the financial burden got too high.
As mentioned, Adam and Annie played regularly back then, but his business took off in a big way and he was no longer able to keep up with the site maintenance. That is how we came to have qhermit (Yuriy Polyshyk) and the other Ukrainians (Russian speaking) as Administrators on our site. They change the servers if there is a problem, give us a new game if it is "Impossible", and block people if they are inappropriate, and generally make everything possible for us to enjoy Solitaire Craving each and every day! Now he will also be handling Solitaire Craving when it becomes a facebook app., or so we are hoping! If anyone ever has any questions for Yuriy, you simply click on "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page on the Solitaire Craving website, or ask questions on the Facebook solitairecraving.com webpage. Players are always welcome to participate in the daily chat and conversation on that facebook site and also on the message boards of Solitaire Craving itself where clues and news and encouragement can be found and enjoyed daily!
So glad you are all members on this wonderful site of an international and supportive community of friends and gamers! I certainly am glad I found it!
Adam Lyttle is the creator of Solitaire Craving. As so many have noticed, the date of each game is always a day after us in North America as Adam lives in Australia. He is a software developer from the Southern Coast of Australia. To woo his Annie (Ann-Maree), he created this game as she was always a huge solitaire fan...even of the Windows format of solitaire that came with her computer.
After beginning the site and playing regularly with all of us, he and Annie married. The anniversary of their wedding is in January and to mark that he has a lovely wedding emblem on the cards on that date. That was such a success that he added Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter and April Fool's Day graphics as well.
I began playing when I received a link to play the April Fool's Day version. All the cards are backwards on that day and it makes it even more of a challenge than it already is. I admit that hooked me and 5 years later I am still playing!
Adam created the "Become a Fan" format after two years, I believe, when he got stronger servers for the site as it was constantly crashing in the beginning. The addition of ads solved the financial problem. At first, people donated money when they could to help out but the financial burden got too high.
As mentioned, Adam and Annie played regularly back then, but his business took off in a big way and he was no longer able to keep up with the site maintenance. That is how we came to have qhermit (Yuriy Polyshyk) and the other Ukrainians (Russian speaking) as Administrators on our site. They change the servers if there is a problem, give us a new game if it is "Impossible", and block people if they are inappropriate, and generally make everything possible for us to enjoy Solitaire Craving each and every day! Now he will also be handling Solitaire Craving when it becomes a facebook app., or so we are hoping! If anyone ever has any questions for Yuriy, you simply click on "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page on the Solitaire Craving website, or ask questions on the Facebook solitairecraving.com webpage. Players are always welcome to participate in the daily chat and conversation on that facebook site and also on the message boards of Solitaire Craving itself where clues and news and encouragement can be found and enjoyed daily!
So glad you are all members on this wonderful site of an international and supportive community of friends and gamers! I certainly am glad I found it!
On refreshing and avatars: the larger the number of bytes in an avatar, the longer it will take to refresh. If your avatar is 1000kb or less, refresh will be quick, so try to limit the size of your image to 1000kb or less. This can be done in graphics applications such as Photoshop. If someone knows of another way to size an image, please let us know.
During Game #2262, generated on June 22, 2012, chuffy posted the following question: Does anyone know how the ranking system works? I managed to complete some unfinished games that were still active, I went up the ranks but then just had points taken off again? ** Hamlette (Suzan) responded: Chuffy, my best guess is the scoring system is a sort of zero sum game. You get points as you complete games and cut time and moves, but as others do the same thing, points are redistributed. For instance, you finish a game in 1st place and you get XXX number of points for being #1. Then someone comes along and does the game faster than you. That evil person is then #1 stealing not only your thunder but your points as you are then #2 so your points go down. I have no idea if that is right but it is my best guess. ** joekayak also weighed in with the following explanation: Scoring system?? If you look at your profile, you will see 34 games listed. Your score is roughly the sum of your scores for the past 33 games. The game that is being played today [#2262] will not be added until the next new game [#2263] appears. But in the meantime, the oldest game [#2228] will drop off. Using Eastern USA Time zones, about 100AM, game #2228 will drop off and then about 730AM, your score for game #2262 will be added. That is the reason for an up and down that occurs overnight in the ET zone. Those up and downs are fairly large. Usually about 600 points or so is subtracted and then 600 points or so is added. After 730AM ET, there will be smaller fluctuations in your score. And Hamlette has it about right, as others finish previous games (not the current one) scores can go up or down depending upon where the new players finish relative to you. These recalculations occur roughly every hour on the hour from about 900AM ET onward. The fluctuations tend to be small (3-18 points) and for some reason, the additions and subtractions all seem to be multiples of 3???!!!! So, that is why when you do nothing, you will see fluctuations. Now, if you go back between 900AM ET and about midnight ET and finish a previously unplayed game (among the 33 being scored) you will see your score go up by about 500-600 points. If you go back and improve your time in a previously played game, you will see your score go up by about the same number of points as you the number of seconds you improved your time. We thank them both for taking the time to enlighten us!
We thank them both for taking the time to enlighten us! 
I've just come to this thread to check how to change my avatar, but I've also read through it to remind myself of all the helpful hints and explanations on here. Thank you to all those who created this thread. By posting my comment, it should go back to the top of the list so more players notice its existence.
Gosh Feral Cats. Thanks so much. I know I'm going to have such fun on this site with helpful people like you around. I am slowly coming up, but I still have many games I just can't get yet.
I am just posting a comment to bring this thread up to the top.
Very impressive and thorough explanations Susan, great job !!
Thanks, James !
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