Match each starter to its Queen.
Glencoe follows the Intrigue family layout of eight fixed Queens and sixteen foundations. Each 5 and 6 may start a foundation only over a Queen of the same suit. Once started, the descending 5 pile or ascending 6 pile accepts the next rank regardless of suit.
Last updated: September 2026
Check the owning column, not just an empty pile
A spade 5 cannot open the five-down pile belonging to a heart Queen, even if that pile is empty. Find the two Queen columns of the starter’s suit and check which matching foundation slot remains empty. Uncovering that starter can unlock a chain of followers.
A club 5 exposed while only a heart Queen’s five-down pile is empty must wait for a club Queen’s available pile. A club 4, however, may join any already-started five-down pile showing a 5, regardless of its Queen’s suit. This distinction matters when choosing which blocker to park on a Queen-only column.
Plan access across the two sequences
A five-down pile finishes at King; a six-up pile finishes at Jack. Locate the next rank an open pile needs, then work back through the column blocking it. The family guide explains the common vacancy decision; Glencoe’s extra question is which Queen can accept the starter you are trying to expose.