Blindfold Solitaire

Category

Description of App

iTunes App Store Description:

Blindfold Solitaire is a fully accessible Solitaire card game for both sighted and visually impaired people, designed for rapid audio play.

Blindfold Solitaire includes Klondike 3, the typical game of solitaire where you build all four suits from ace to king in separate piles, and 28 cards are dealt into seven piles on the tableau, where the first pile contains 1 card, the second pile has two cards with only the top card showing, the third pile has 3 cards with only the top card showing and so on. Each time you draw from the deck, you get 3 more cards.

The cards are not visible; instead, you play by listening. You can flick left or right, or up or down, to hear the cards. You move a card from one pile to another by tapping on the screen twice to start the move, and then tapping twice again to complete the move. A complete guide to the gestures is included in the help.

Blindfold Solitaire tells you if a card can be moved to the foundation piles, and can be set to move the cards automatically. You can customize the game to your liking: how much extra information is spoken and how quickly it is spoken.

Blindfold Solitaire was suggested by several blind gamers who enjoyed Blindfold Racer and Blindfold Blackjack.

There is a STARTER PACK in-app upgrade that unlocks all settings features, and gives you a second Solitaire game: Klondike 1 (where you get 1 card at a time instead of 3 cards at a time). We'll be adding more Solitaire games as in-app upgrades.

Version

1.4.1

Free or Paid

Free

Apple Watch Support

Not Known

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone
iPhone
iPad

iOS Version

8.3

Accessibility Comments

The game is completely accessible.
The initial screen (main menu), settings screen, and help screens, all work perfectly with Voiceover. The game itself is self-voicing once you start a round. You do not have to turn Voiceover off at any point; it will stay out of the way when it is not needed.

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads all page elements.

Button Labeling

All buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

The app is fully accessible with VoiceOver and is easy to navigate and use.

Other Comments

I listed iOS 8.1.2 as the iOS version, but I have successfully run beta versions of this game on 7.X and 8.1.1 as well. It is designed to work with 7.1 and up.

I beta tested this game for several weeks before the release, and while I was not a solitaire player before, I am now. Very well done game from the developer of Blindfold Racer and others. I strongly suggest you pay for the in-app upgrade, to get the one-card version of Klondike.

Developer's Twitter Username

@STEMdad

Recommendations

10 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Krister Ekstrom 2 years 2 months ago

Options

Comments

By Luke on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

Update: my recording equipment (a Scarlett 6I6) developed a fault; need to have it serviced before I can record the rest of the demo. If someone else wants to do one, it's fine with me.

I am working on a demo podcast for this app; hopefully should have it up in the next couple days.

By dvdmth on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

One thing I miss from the days when I had better vision was playing solitaire, both with real playing cards and on the computer. I can still play solitaire on my Mac after a fashion, using the built-in screen magnifier, but it's much harder for me now than it used to be. Having a fully accessible solitaire app is quite appealing to me.

However, I never really cared for the classic Klondike solitaire. Instead, I enjoyed other varieties of solitaire like Canfield, Yukon, Spider, Gaps, Golf, Pyramid, and others. On my computer, I would play a Python-based solitaire program called PySol, which is completely inaccessible to VoiceOver, but as I said above, I can use it with a screen magnifier. That program has literally hundreds of different solitaires, including some rather weird variations of the classic games.

I don't expect this app to ever have the number of solitaire varieties that PySol had, but I would love to see this app, or any other accessible solitaire app, to have as many different varieties of solitaire as possible. That would take me back to the glory days when I could take out a regular deck of cards, or two decks for some games, shuffle the cards and deal them out in whatever layout I wanted, playing whatever type of solitaire I wanted, even following my own rules if I felt like it.

By Luke on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

Before the game was even released, the developer was talking about potentially adding some more versions (spider, for example). I don't know when he expects to work on that, but I would strongly suggest to you and anyone who wants certain versions of Solitaire to be added, that you email him and let him know.

As far as the glory days of just pulling out a deck and playing any form of the game you wanted: are you aware that there are both large print and braille playing cards available? Even if you do not know braille, it is only grade 1, and very basic grade 1 can be learned in a quite short period of time. PM me if you need more info.

By Clare Page on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

Hi! I got Blindfold Solitaire not long after its release was announced: although it is a very challenging game and hard to win, which is quite normal judging from other versions of Klondike Solitaire I've played on the PC, I still enjoy it, and I got the starter pack quite quickly to unlock all the game modes and options. It'll be interesting to see what other types of Solitaire games the developer adds in the future, but, while we are waiting for those, I should point out that Blindfold Solitaire isn't the only accessible Solitaire game in the IOS App Store, there's also Pyramid 13, based on Pyramid Solitaire: the latter isn't self-voicing, you have to use VoiceOver to play it, but that's another Solitaire game I enjoy playing on my iPhone. To get back to the topic of this thread, I look forward to finding out what forms of Solitaire the developer decides to add to the Blindfold Solitaire app.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

I will try to answer the questions.

I've seen PySol, and built Blindfold Solitaire to be able to take advantage of the concepts PySol has to roll out more games. If people let me know which variants of Solitaire they want next, I can add them.

By Imani on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

For making this game available KidFriendly I've been enjoying it. It takes me back to the days when i was in school and suppose to be doing my work, but I was playing Solitaire instead.

By Joe on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

I would like spider I've never been able to play and they could be interesting.

By Krister Ekstrom on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

I'm one of those who when i had a working VMware Fusion enjoyed Spoonbill games rendition of Klondike, Penguin and others, and although i never ever could get the hang of Penguin, it would still be nice to have it in the app. Also it would be great if one could go in and change the language of the voices speaking in the game. As it is now, i can only hear the Swedish voice in the game unless i play Crazy eights where my swedish speech synth duels with the UK English Daniel voice. It would be great to be able to set the synth to use. Other than that, the game is brilliant.

By Joe on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

I don't know that this is the place to write this but if you can make it accessible spades game or euchre I would love it!

By Hey-June on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

For me, the free version would only let me play one game a day. I think that should be mentioned somewhere.

That being said, this game is so addicting and so well done, I'd get a lot more done if I hadn't paid for it! <grin>
Love the music.
June

By Hey-June on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

Now that I finally won a game, it's time to make a few requests:
1. A "Replay" button - sometimes, after losing a game, I'd like to try the same game again to see what results I'd get with different moves.

2. Once the game is won but the cards have not all been moved to the Foundation, I'd like the two-finger double-tap to whisk them all into place - instead of having to double-tap every card move. This could be optional.

3. A wins/losses/% won relative to total games played.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

Next version will have:
Spider solitaire (probably 1,2 and 4 deck) as another in-app upgrade.
Replay game (as per recent suggestion).

For a win/loss ration, do you want it overall, or on a per game basis, such as one percentage for Klondike family, another for Spider family, etc.
Multi-language may occur in the future.
As to the two finger double-tap, I'm looking into it.

For win/loss/ratio, I was only thinking per game. Family hadn't even ocurred to me.
Thanks for your responsiveness!
June

By KidFriendlySoftware on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by Hey-June

I'll look into that after we start integrating some of the apps via Game Center.

By Kirstan on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by Luke

I really do hope you or someone can do a Podcast on this game. I have never played anything like it, and although I almost get how to play it, I keep getting stumped. I really would love to be able to hear someone else play it, jut to see what I am doing wrong and so I can understand it a little more. I am *very* hopeful this might happen.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

Are you getting stumped in using the game, or you just need a better strategy to play?

By Unregistered User (not verified) on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

I've wanted a good accessible solitaire game ever since I got an iPhone. This game definitely fits the bill.
I've always loved solitaire, and now I don't have to be chained to my computer to play it.
I like the idea of a win/loss percentage, as well as the suggestion for being able to move all the cards to the foundation at the end of a game. Maybe it could be implemented as a different jesture as opposed to the 2 finger doubletap.
I am also interested in other solitaire games, and would definitely buy games like Spider or Canfield.
Thanks, and keep up the great work.

By Toonhead on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

While I have the game and have tried a few hands, hearing someone else play would be very helpful! Hey we have podcasts about blindfold blackjack and blindfold video poker, so why not blindfold solitare? It'd be very cool to hear so I can improve my game play, and to get a better understanding of the different styles of the game.

By Hey-June on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

Does anyone else have this problem? I try to do a 3-finger swipe down to cancel a move and I inadvertently draw more cards to the waste pile.

If it is not just my arthritic fingers doing this, could we have the option to change the cancel to a scrub gesture or something?
Thanks,
June

By KidFriendlySoftware on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by Hey-June

You can also shake the phone to cancel a move.

By AnonyMouse on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - 09:20

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

What's New in Version 1.1.9

- Lots of new features: re-read the User's Guide.
- In-app ugprade for Spider Solitaire.
- More settings options, more gestures.
- Fixed international voice problems.
- Fixed 8.3 compatibility issues.

By alex wallis on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

Hi, I am just curious why are there no settings for allowing more passes through the waste pile for spider games? the spider games only have one setting but the clondike games have more, I am curious why all games don't have the same settings.
Something else regarding spider, you have options for spider 1, 2 and 4 suits why not 3 suits?
also, another thing I noticed, is your twitter name in the app isn't spelled correctly you shouldn't have a space between the two parts of it.
So to actually find you you have to look for @STEMdad

I noticed a typo in the instructions for the free cell games, a miss spelling of solitaire, think you missed an e out or something definitely a typo.

I would love to see games added to this that are featured in cards alone namely napoleons grave and hexagon, there is also another game on the store called kings corners would be good if that could be added in as well.

By AnonyMouse on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

What's New in Version 1.2.4

- In-app upgrade for FreeCell games.
- Minor bug fixes, more settings options.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

The rules of spider is that each time you draw more cards, one card is placed on each of the tableau stacks. You draw cards only when there are no other moves. If you've made it through the deck entirely, then the deck is empty, so more passes do not make sense.

I've never seen a definition of spider 3 suits. If you can find one, I can build it.

As to twitter, I think i put a space in it so that it would sound correct with voiceover. When I didn't include the space, it pronounced it wrong.

I will look into those other games.

By alex wallis on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

I have noticed some occasional bugs, one where the voice announces the move twice it says it once, then says it again then executes it.
Another bug I have found is that sometimes you have to tap on games twice before new games are started, again this only sometimes happens but when it does you tap the new game option once and nothing happens and you must tap again for it to work.
Regarding twitter I think actually spelling the name properly rather than having VoiceOver pronounce it correctly is more important, because I certainly didn't realise for a minute or so to take the space out, unless you want to put beside the twitter name to remove the space.

Another thought, would it be possible to have options to disable the welcome message, and the ability if desired to disable the female voice and just play using VoiceOver?

A final option I had an idea for is to disable the speaking of the card suit and instead have it announce the card colour instead, so something like red 2, black 3 etc.

Also, another idea I had is a setting that would always give you games that could always be won, I also wonder if it might be possible to have the AI tell you when you make a move that means it is no longer possible for you to win a game.
The last thought I had is a way to get a hint of what your next move should be if your not sure.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by alex wallis

Other users have reported the double-speaking of some sentences. That happens on some iphones, not others, and we haven't figured out how to fix. The phone tells the app that the sentence was not spoken, so we repeat it. In the next version, you'll be able to shut that option off.

We will fix the twitter name.

Which welcome message do you want to be able to disable? Please give me what it says - there can be several messages when it starts.

As to card color - I asked around, and had other users tell me to not give that option, since it would make some of the games too easy. Maybe other users can comment here.

Using voice over in an app, we have only two options - the USA female voice and the UK male voice. We do not have access to the generic voice-over voice that you've set up in the phone.

Adding the artificial intelligence to figure out if your move is bad is fairly difficult. Sorry.

Now that free cell Solitaires have been entered into the game, let me say once again that it would be very cool to have Penguin Solitaire as well. This could be added to the freecell package. I don't know the exact rules of the game but maybe someone who has the Spoonbill rendition of Penguin could chime in or maybe you could look it up in Wikipedia.

By alex wallis on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

if you gave the card colour was made a preference users could decide to enable or disable it as a choice, same with the options that already exist like showing all cards. The welcome message I had it mind was the one that said welcome to blindfold solitaire. As to not having access to the VoiceOver voice I would like the option to be able to use the UK English voice as an alternative to the female voice currently used, not instead of, and you could also offer the US one as well. Offering options to adjust the speeds etc.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

I checked the page you meant (the page you sent me was a page on spiders). Anyway, it didn't mention 3 suit spider. It did have a bunch of other spider variants, which we can add in another add-on pack. Please try to find a 3 suit variant - I need to know the general rules - for example, how many decks, etc. , and I'll put it in the existing spider pack, since that only takes about 30 minutes to program.

By alex wallis on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

OK confused, are you saying I sent you a page on spiders? the creatures? not sure how that happened.
anyway the Wikipedia entry on spider solitaire talks about a game called SpiderWort and says it is played with 3 suits. Bit of a random question is the game spider different to that called spider solitaire? as otherwise not quite sure how the entry isn't about spider.

Here's what I found. It's 3 decks, but 4 suits:

Spiderwort Solitaire

3 decks. Average. No redeal.

Spiderwort Solitaire uses three decks (156 cards). You have 13 tableau piles. 71 cards are dealt to these piles (6 cards are dealt to first six piles and 5 cards to the remaining ones). The top card of each pile is face up.

The object of the game
To build 12 sequences down in suit within the tableau (each running from King to Ace) and then move them to 12 foundations.

The rules
The top cards of tableau piles are available to play. You may build tableau piles down regardless of suit, ending at the Ace. You cannot build a King on an Ace. One card at a time can be moved from pile to pile. Groups of cards in sequence of the same suit may be moved as a unit. When any tableaus are empty you can fill the space with any card or group of cards.

When you have made all the moves initially available, click on the stock pile to deal one card onto each tableau pile. All gaps (empty spaces) in the tableau have to be filled before the deal.

There is no redeal. Spiderwort is 3 deck variation of Spider Solitaire invented by Boris Sandberg.

By Becky Manners on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

This game is fun and addicting. I have some concern, however, about the initial settings.

When I first downloaded the app, I was able to redeal the waste pile at least two or three times. This feature no longer works properly. I am only able to deal the waste pile once, though I did not do anything to change the feature in settings.

Is there any way I can correct this problem until I can purchase more games?

Thank you.

Eliminating the suit name would spoil replay value. It is up to the player to determine color, knowing them before you play or learning them. Spades and clubs are black, hearts and diamonds are red.

Also, having games that could always be won is not logical, as the luck of the draw, at least as far as wen the cards are shuffled and dealt, is part o the luck of the game.

Maybe there should be a beginner's skill level that would tell you if there is a move or tell you what it is, but that should not be done in all games, as, again, it would ruin the replay value and, remember, isn't the game supposed to be challenging? If you were always alerted that you have a possibl play and were told what it is, what would be the fun in that? The game would be playing for you rather than you having to use skill to win.

By KidFriendlySoftware on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

Did you check the settings? Send me an email at marty at kid friendly software dot com and we can dive into the problem together.

By alex wallis on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

I really don't see what is wrong with offering a setting to swap the suit name for colour that way it could be enabled if the player chooses, you could argue a similar point about being able to reveal all cards in piles making the game two easy, or the setting to have unlimited passes through the waste pile in the clondike games, but yet nobody has complained about these settings. That's the point settings can be changed according to player preference, and it could be disabled by default.

By AnonyMouse on Friday, April 3, 2015 - 09:20

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

What's New in Version 1.3.7

Added Golf Solitaire as in-app upgrade, fixed minor bugs, added a few more features.

By Karok on Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 09:20

Hi all,

I love blindfold solitaire and am finding it hard to understand in general :) yet i love other card games like poker spades etc.
would it be possible to do a podcast on spider and golf?
i understand golf, but need some audio guidance.

Also would blindfold software do a hearts, spades, poker and euchre game?
i'd buy that today if you told me it was out smile
Will

By AnonyMouse on Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 09:20

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

What's New in Version 1.4.1

Undo move, automatically move all cards to foundation at end of game, new Addition solitaire game pack.

By Kelly Sapergia on Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by AnonyMouse

Is anyone else having problems getting Blindfold Solitaire to work? Ever since I updated it to the latest version, it no longer comes up on my 5th Generation iPod Touch. I can load the game, but there's no menu or anything, just a blank screen. I tried resetting the iPod and even removed and downloaded the game again, but neither solved the problem.

By Unregistered User (not verified) on Monday, August 3, 2015 - 09:20

Hi all, I am hoping someone could help me out with a problem I'm having. I can't restore my in app purchases of solitaire game packs. I recently got an ipad, and it won't let me restore purchases. I even tried the buy button for the starter pack and got the same proble restoring purchases error message.
I have also recently reset my iphone and now can't restore on there either. Both my i devices are unable to restore the purchases.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

By KidFriendlySoftware on Monday, August 3, 2015 - 09:20

Do the purchase again. Apple should recognize that you already bought it, and tell you that you won't be charged again - that has worked for other users. We are working on some new versions to avoid this problem in the future.

By Leseguenni on Monday, August 3, 2015 - 09:20

I tried to play "put put" When I did the twofinger-left-gesture to get to the wastepile, the app closed - every time I did it.
About the feature suggestion: It would be great if one could direct the card moves more direct. For example, if I want to move a card from pile one to pile ten I can't just put it there, I have to cycle through all the piles.

By Vsevolod Popov on Saturday, October 3, 2015 - 09:20

Hello. Please add rools of the solitair in the help section if it's possible.

By charles on Saturday, October 3, 2015 - 09:20

In reply to by Vsevolod Popov

I just checked, and there is an update to the app which addresses speed issues, although I previously had none.

Also, I think the rules of Solitaire are included in the app, although I don't recall where.

I sure hope that all of the id Friendly games work well on IOS 9, which gets released tomorrow.

By charles on Saturday, October 3, 2015 - 09:20

To find the rules of the game, reread the original review above.

By Vsevolod Popov on Saturday, October 3, 2015 - 09:20

I didn't understand where i can find rools. I can't find it in the games help section

By 1drew on Wednesday, August 3, 2016 - 09:20

Hey there, Let me start by saying I love Blindfold Solitaire. I've noticed something that seems a little off to me however. In the Klondike deal three game, it deals three cards but you can only see one card, just as in the single card version. I consulted with others who play the deal three game in other apps/etc. and usually you can see all three cards. Is this intended?

Thanks,
Drew