Pyramid
Twenty-eight cards sit in a pyramid. Remove two uncovered cards that add to 13, or a king on its own. The rest of the deck is a stock you draw from. Clear the pyramid.
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Rules and help
How to play Pyramid
Twenty-eight cards are dealt face up in seven rows: one card on the top row, then two, and so on down to seven. Each card above the bottom row overlaps the two cards beneath it. The other twenty-four cards are the stock.
Uncovered cards
A card in the pyramid can be played when nothing overlaps it. The bottom row starts uncovered. Removing both cards that rest on a card uncovers it. The top card of the waste is uncovered as well.
Removing cards
Ranks count as ace 1, jack 11, queen 12, and king 13. Remove two uncovered cards that add to 13: ace and queen, 2 and jack, 3 and 10, 4 and 9, 5 and 8, or 6 and 7. A king is 13 by itself, so it is removed alone. The two cards may both be in the pyramid, or one may be the top card of the waste.
The stock
Draw one card from the stock onto the waste. Only that top card can be paired or removed. When the stock is empty, you may turn the waste over once and draw through those cards again, in the same order. After that pass, the stock stays empty.
Winning
The pyramid is clear. Cards left in the stock or the waste do not matter. Not every deal can be cleared.
Using this game
Tap an uncovered king to remove it. Tap one uncovered card, then another that makes 13 with it, or drag one card onto the other. Tap the same card again to let it go. Tap the stock to draw. Undo takes back a draw, a turn of the waste, or a removal. Hint marks a king, a pair, or the stock. Moves counts each of those actions. Left is how many cards are still in the pyramid.
Tips
- Free deep cards that cover several neighbors before taking easy edge pairs.
- Treat the waste as part of the puzzle—do not burn a Queen you still need for an Ace higher up.
- Count remaining 13-partners before you spend the single waste turn.
- Hint marks a King, a legal pair, or a draw; Undo reverses removals and draws alike.
Playing on a phone or tablet
Tap an uncovered card, then tap the card that makes 13 with it. You can also drag one card onto the other. The stock and the waste sit under the pyramid. The page scrolls if the pyramid is taller than the screen.
Frequently asked questions
- Which cards add to 13?
- Ace and queen, 2 and jack, 3 and 10, 4 and 9, 5 and 8, and 6 and 7. A king is removed on its own.
- Which cards can I play?
- A pyramid card with nothing overlapping it, and the top card of the waste. Covered cards stay until both cards resting on them are gone.
- Do I have to empty the stock?
- No. Clearing the pyramid wins, even when cards remain in the stock or the waste.
- Can every deal be won?
- No. You may turn the waste over once. If nothing adds to 13 and the stock is spent, that deal is stuck.
- Must I empty the stock to win?
- No. Clearing the pyramid wins even if cards remain in the stock or waste.
- How many times can I recycle the waste?
- Once. After that single turn-over, the stock stays empty.