FreeCell Game Numbers Explained (and the Impossible #11982)
If you played FreeCell on Windows, you may remember choosing "Select Game" and typing a number. Those numbers still work on Cheettukali.
Where the numbers come from
The original Microsoft FreeCell didn't store 32,000 deals. It used a simple random-number formula: give it a number, and it always shuffles the cards the same way. So "game #1" is the same deal on every computer that uses the formula. Cheettukali uses exactly the same formula, so our game #1 starts with J♦ 2♦ 9♥ J♣ 5♦ 7♥ 7♣ 5♥ across the top row, just like the classic game.
The impossible deal: #11982
In the 1990s, FreeCell players on the internet set out to solve all 32,000 deals. They managed every one except #11982, which computer programs have since confirmed can't be won. All the other original deals can be solved.
Easy and hard deals
Most numbered deals can be solved by a careful player in a few minutes, but some need dozens of exact moves with every free cell in use. If a deal feels impossible, it almost certainly isn't: undo, rethink, and try again.
How to use game numbers
- Replay a deal: the number is shown above the table. Type it in the menu to play it again.
- Challenge a friend: send them the number and compare who wins in fewer moves.
- Practise: replay a deal you lost with a different plan.
🃏 Try it now: play FreeCell free in your browser, no download, no money.
FAQ
Is every FreeCell game winnable?
Of the original 32,000 numbered deals, all except #11982 can be won.
Are Cheettukali's FreeCell numbers the same as Windows?
Yes. We use the same shuffle formula, so each number gives the same deal as the classic Microsoft FreeCell.