Pairs

Rules and help

How to play Pairs

The cards lie face down. Turn two of them. If they share a rank, they stay face up. If they do not, they turn face down again. Clear the grid. Fewer turns is better.

A pair

Two cards match when the rank is the same. An ace matches any other ace, and a ten matches any other ten. The suits can differ. Each rank is dealt twice, so every card has one partner.

A turn

A turn is counted when you turn the second card. The first card of a turn does not count by itself. A match and a miss both count as one turn. The fewest turns you can take is one for each pair.

After a miss, the two cards stay up for a moment so you can read them, then turn back. A tap or Enter during that pause turns them back at once. That does not start another pair.

The grid

• 6 pairs: four columns of three.
• 8 pairs: four columns of four.
• 12 pairs: four columns of six.

Changing the grid deals again. New game deals the same size again, with a new shuffle.

Score

Turns is the count for this deal. Left is how many pairs are still to find. Best is the fewest turns you have taken to clear this size of grid. It is kept separately for 6, 8, and 12 pairs. The first time you clear a grid, that number becomes the best. A later game replaces it only when you finish in fewer turns.

Using this game

Tap a face-down card, then tap another. On a keyboard, move with the arrow keys and turn a card with Enter or Space. New game deals a fresh grid. Your best for each grid stays on this device.

Tips

• Memorize failed flips near corners—they are easier to re-find than center cards.
• When you know a match, take it immediately so you do not bury the memory under new flips.
• Long grid: sweep systematically rather than hopping randomly.
• Chase a perfect score (turns = pair count) on Short before moving up.

Playing on a phone or tablet

Tap a face-down card, then tap the one you think matches it. The grid choice and New game stay above the cards. The page scrolls when the grid is tall.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a match?

The same rank, in any suit. An ace of hearts matches an ace of clubs. Each rank appears twice on the grid.

What is a turn?

Turning the second card. A miss counts, and so does a match. Turning the first card does not, until you choose the second.

Why do matching cards look different?

The pair is the rank. The two cards are different suits from the same deck, so the faces are not copies of each other.

Where is my best kept?

In this browser, on this device, separately for 6, 8, and 12 pairs. Clearing site data for Play Solo removes it. Nothing is sent to a server.

Do suits have to match?

No. Only the rank must match. Any two cards of that rank pair.