How do you play Peg Solitaire?
Peg Solitaire is a one player puzzle where a peg jumps over the peg right next to it into the empty hole beyond, and the jumped peg is removed. When no jumps are left, the fewer pegs remain the better, and leaving exactly one peg is a win.
The game is centuries old and was a fashionable pastime in 17th century France. Here it is drawn fresh by ormgames with a wooden board and soft clay pegs.
How do pegs move?
- Jumps only: a peg leaps over one neighbor and lands in the empty hole two spaces away. Pegs never just slide to the next hole.
- Jumped pegs come off: every jump removes exactly one peg.
- Directions: on the English, European and practice boards you jump up, down, left or right. On the triangle you jump along its three lines, six directions in all. Square boards have no diagonal jumps.
- The end: when no peg can jump, the game is over and you are rated by how many pegs are left.
Which boards can I play?
| Board | Holes | Start | Genius hole |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 33, cross shaped | Center empty, 32 pegs | Center |
| European | 37 | Left edge hole empty, 36 pegs | Ringed hole lower right |
| Triangle | 15 | Top corner empty, 14 pegs | Top corner |
| Four practice boards | English board | Cross 6 · Plus 9 · Pyramid 16 · Arrow 17 | Center |
Every board was checked with a solver to make sure one peg can finish on the ringed hole. The European board cannot be solved to one peg when you start with the center empty, so it starts with a left edge hole open instead.
How are results rated?
When the game ends, one peg on the ringed hole is Genius and one peg anywhere else is Expert.
- 1 peg on the ring: Genius
- 1 peg elsewhere: Expert
- 2: Excellent · 3: Good · 4: Average · 5 or more: Keep practicing
Tips for finishing with one peg
- Clear the outer arms first. Pegs left at the tips of the cross have nothing to jump over later.
- Do not empty the center too early. Central pegs are bridges in every direction.
- Never strand a peg. A peg with no neighbors can never move again.
- Warm up on the practice boards. Cross and Plus teach you how to clean up a group, which makes the full English board much easier.
- Lean on undo and hints. Undo is unlimited, and Hint searches for a line that leaves one peg and shows the next jump with an arrow.
On the English board a single early slip can make one peg impossible. If Hint says one peg is no longer possible, undo a few moves and try another route. Your fewest pegs left on each board is saved in this browser.