For this game you need an ordinary pack of cards, less the jokers and one very patient player. The chances of getting Clock Patience out are pretty remote and anyone who does so, without cheating, is to be heartily congratulated.

As the name suggests, the cards are laid out in the manner of a clock face. For the benefit of any readers who only know of digital watches and clocks, the clock face referred to is not a digital clock face but a clock face in a style which is not so modern. The clock face of Big Ben is a typical example.

The cards are shuffled, cut and dealt face down, one at a time so that they resemble a clock face, starting at one o'clock and going in a clockwise direction, eventually finishing in the centre. At the end of the deal there will be 4 cards at one o'clock, 4 cards at 2 o'clock etc. and 4 cards in the centre.

The top card of the centre pile is turned over and it is placed underneath the appropriate pile. That is, if a 3 was turned up, it would be placed under the pile of cards at 3 o'clock. If a 6 was turned up, it would placed at 6 o'clock. The top card of that pile is turned over and it too is placed underneath the appropriate pile. Play continues thus until a King is turned up and this is placed underneath the centre pile.

The top card of the centre pile is turned over and play continues until the fourth King turns up. At this stage all the piles around the clock face will, and this is much more likely, consist of at least one card still face down and the player will have lost, AGAIN!

On the other hand, it is just remotely possible that the last card to be turned over is a King leaving all the cards face up and the player has WON! -- YIPPEE! --

Finally, the Jack occupies the 11 o'clock place, the Queen occupies the 12 o'clock place.