The Undo Button: Cheating or Smart Strategy?

The Undo button. A tiny digital lifeline, a savior in times of crisis, and the most controversial feature ever introduced to Solitaire.

For some, it’s a harmless tool, a way to correct accidental misclicks and explore strategic alternatives. For others, it’s an absolute betrayal of the game’s integrity and a crime against good old-fashioned suffering.

So, let’s settle this once and for all. Is using the Undo button a legitimate strategy or just glorified cheating?

The Pro-Undo Camp: “It’s a Feature, Not a Cheat!”

The defenders of Undo (let’s call them The Realists) argue that Solitaire is, at its core, a game of logic and strategy — so why shouldn’t players be allowed to test different paths before committing?

Their reasoning is:

Trial and Error is Learning. Chess players analyze their past moves, scientists conduct experiments, and Solitaire players press Undo 27 times in a row to see what could have been. This is simply the pursuit of knowledge.
It Saves Us from Stupid Mistakes. Maybe you accidentally moved the wrong card and immediately regret it. In real life, there’s no going back when you send a text to the wrong person.The Undo button in Solitaire is the second chance we all wish we had in reality.
It’s Not Cheating If It’s Built In. If using Undo is so wrong, why is it even there? Solitaire developers didn’t add it to tempt us into moral corruption; they gave us a tool. Would you call someone a cheater for using the brakes on a car?

The Anti-Undo Camp: “Play Like a Real Card Player!”

On the other side of the debate, we have the Traditionalists — the purists who believe that once a card is moved, it should stay moved, no take-backs, no mercy.

Their main arguments?

Solitaire is About Consequences. The beauty of Solitaire lies in its brutal finality. Every decision matters. Using Undo turns it into a consequence-free playground where nothing is at stake. Would a professional chess player just take back a blunder mid-tournament? No. Solitaire, like life, is about living with your choices.
It Ruins the Satisfaction of Winning. What’s more rewarding: struggling through an entire game, making every move count, and triumphantly winning — or smashing Undo like a maniac until you find the perfect sequence?

Final Verdict: Who Wins?

In the end, the great Undo debate is unlikely to ever be settled. Both sides have a point.

If you believe that Solitaire is a strategic puzzle, Undo is just another tool in your arsenal.
If you believe Solitaire is a test of willpower and patience, using Undo is nothing short of heresy.

So, what’s the real answer? Simple: play however you want. It’s just a digital game. It doesn’t know if you’re pressing Undo. It doesn’t care if you restart 15 times in a row. The cards sit there, indifferent, waiting for you to move them.

After all, Solitaire is already testing your patience simply by existing — why stress over moral dilemmas, too?

Let's play right now and enjoy this lovely Undo button option that we so often lack in real life!