BananagramsBanana Solitaire
Updated September 4, 2026 · 2 min read
Banana Solitaire is a solo game played with 21 starting tiles, where you Peel whenever your grid is complete. A lone player can chase a personal speed record or attempt to connect all 144 tiles using the smallest count of words possible.
The short version
- Draw 21 tiles face down to form your starting pool.
- Flip all letters simultaneously after calling Split.
- Call Dump to trade one difficult letter for three fresh tiles.
- Call Peel each time your hand is fully arranged into the grid.
You begin by drawing 21 tiles face down. Call Split, flip the letters face up all at once, and start forming your grid. Because no opponents are at the table, you set the pace entirely on your own without waiting for others to catch up.
| Banana Solitaire | |
|---|---|
| Players | one |
| The idea | One player, twenty-one tiles, peel whenever you need one. |
| What changes | Race your own best time, or try to use all 144 tiles in as few words as possible. |
Whenever you work every current tile into your crossword, call Peel to draw one new letter from the bunch. If a specific letter does not fit your layout, call Dump to put that single tile back face down and take three replacements into your hand.
Two goals exist for this solo variant. The first option is to race against your previous record to finish as fast as you can. The second option is to draw through all 144 tiles and fit every piece into as few distinct words as you can arrange.
Calling Bananas ends the game once too few tiles remain for another Peel and your entire hand is placed in the grid. Make sure your words connect correctly according to standard rules before deciding you have successfully finished the layout.
The mistake to avoid
The mistake is to assume you must wait for another person before drawing new tiles. You call Peel on your own as soon as your hand is clear.
Questions that keep coming up
How many tiles do you start with in Banana Solitaire?
A solo game starts with 21 tiles taken face down before calling Split.
How does Dump work when playing alone?
Put one tile back face down into the bunch and draw three tiles in return. Your total tile count increases by two each time you do this.
What targets can you aim for during solo play?
You can try to beat a personal fastest completion, or you can work to incorporate all 144 tiles into the lowest total number of words.