It’s a debate akin to the immortal biscuit vs. cake Jaffa cake argument: is solitaire a game or a puzzle?  David Parlett, noted writer of a host of titles, including the Penguin Book of Card Games and the Oxford History of Card Games, sets out to answer this question in his guide to ‘patience’, otherwise known as solitaire.

Parlett comes down firmly on the side of solitaire being a game, stating: “The fact that cards are shuffled before play makes each new deal a different puzzle from what it was before. Solving or not solving it feels just like winning or losing a game.”

“Moreover, there are nearly as many different Patiences as there are competitive card games, the best of which can be won by strategic skill. Where there is strategy, there is a game by definition.”

Can a one-player activity really be classed as a game, however? After all, jigsaws require a certain strategy, but they are put firmly under the ‘puzzles’ category. Of course, whether solitaire is a game or a puzzle, it is undisputedly a great, fun way to fend off boredom, and that’s what counts.

With Strike Solitaire, the game (or puzzle!) is no longer confined to just one player. You can join live tournaments, play against others in timed contests, get to grips with a range of solitaire variations, bet and win points, keep your mind agile and test out your card skills for free.