The object of the game is to identify a SET of 3 cards from 12 cards placed face up on the table. Each card has four features, which can vary as follows.
SHAPE: Circle , Triangle , Square
NUMBER: One , Two , Three .
COLOR: Red , Green , Blue
STYLE: Hollow , Full , Background . .
A SET consists of 3 cards in which each of the cards' features, looked at one-by-one, are the same on each card, or, are different on each card. All the features must separately satisfy this rule. In other words: shape must be either the same on all three cards, or different on each of the 3 cards; color must be either the same on all 3 cards, or different on each of the 3, etc.
A QUICK CHECK - Is it a SET??
If 2 cards are the same and 1 card is different in any feature, then it is not a SET. For example, if 2 are red and 1 is blue then it is not a SET. A SET must be either all the same OR all different in each individual feature.
What if I can't find a SET?
If you cannot find a set, it could be because there are none available on the board. If there are no SETs available you are allowed to put three additonal cards on the board. You will only be granted additional cards if there are truly no sets available. If you have added more cards to the board, your SETs will not be replaced with new cards until there are less than 12 cards on the board.
You may also request a "hint" (this feature is only available with this version and not part of the original card game). When doing so, a card that is part of an available SET will be outlined. If you request another hint, a second card of the same SET will also be outlined.
END-GAME
The game ends in one of two ways. First is if there are no SETs available on the board and there are no cards left in the deck to add to the board. Second is if you clear every card in the deck from the board. As with standard Solitaire, there is no great way to ensure that you will be able to make it through the entire deck. Much of that depends on the luck of the draw.