A Brief History of FreeCell
FreeCell's origins trace back to the 1970s, with a game called Baker's Game serving as a direct inspiration. However, the version of FreeCell we know and love today was created by Paul Alfille, a medical student, who programmed it for the PLATO computer system in 1978.
Despite its early creation, FreeCell remained relatively obscure until it surged in popularity after being bundled with Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system. This single decision introduced the game to hundreds of millions of people worldwide, cementing its status as a classic.
The original Microsoft version included 32,000 numbered deals, which were generated from a 15-bit random number seed. These deals are famously almost all winnable, with only the infamous deal #11982 being proven to be impossible to solve. Later versions of Windows introduced even more deals, continuing the game's legacy.