Variant strategy

Simple Simon is pure tableau planning.

With every card face-up and no stock, wins come from sequence engineering. Your decisions are highly deterministic, so small ordering mistakes compound quickly.

Core strategy tips

  • Plan around column capacity because there is no stock to reset tempo.
  • Promote same-suit descending chains quickly so stack moves stay efficient.
  • Use empty columns as temporary decomposition points for mixed runs.
  • Prioritize moves that create future suit links, not just immediate placements.

No-stock implications

Simple Simon removes stock variability, so the game becomes a puzzle of sequencing, space, and reversible move order.

Common mistake

Treating mixed stacks as permanent progress. They are only temporary scaffolds until they can be reassembled into same-suit runs.

Compare with Mrs. Mop

Both are open-information Spider relatives, but Mrs. Mop uses two decks and thirteen columns, creating a different scale of planning.

Read Mrs. Mop strategy