Beleaguered Castle Strategy: 5 Tips

Beleaguered Castle is a planning puzzle with cards. New? See the rules.

1. Find the low cards

Locate the twos and threes before you move anything. The columns that bury them are the ones to dig; the others are storage.

2. Empty columns are gold

An empty column takes any card, which is the only way to move a card that has nowhere else to go. Create one early and spend it only to free a card that unlocks several more.

3. Build runs

Stacking cards in descending order (any suit) keeps them movable later. A column that runs 9-8-7-6 can be unpacked onto other columns one card at a time when needed.

4. Keep the foundations level

If one suit races ahead, the others' low cards get buried under cards that could have gone up. Move cards to the foundations evenly where you can.

5. Plan the dig

Count the moves needed to reach a buried card and the spaces each move consumes. If it doesn't add up, dig elsewhere first. Undo is there for a reason.

The hint sends cards up first, then prefers moves that uncover a card ready for its foundation, and treats empty columns as a last resort.

Last updated 2026-10-21