The ads are locking up the game.

Finally got it -- there was a Microsoft update installed on my PC overnight -- when I uninstalled it, the games worked again; no freezing on the ads.

 

Appears to be working again. I downloaded the update for Windows Defender definitions, and can now play the Microsoft Solitaire Collection game. I made no other changes to my computer.

 

I am able to access all games now. All I did was used Automatic Update and updated my Windows Defended definitions (1.201.21.0).

 

Okay. I checked to see if I had any Microsoft updates available for download as VileOyster hinted. No critical updates available, but I looked at optional updates available and found 18. I selected each for install. Had to restart the computer. The ads don't
freeze the Microsoft Solitaire Collection! I would suggest to everyone here to check your optional updates. They don't load automatically like the critical ones do.

 

I just hope Microsoft Studios is following this thread, is aware that the problem is so severe, crippling and pervasive to so many, and is working on a fix. Of course forcing long 30 sec. ads on us between nearly every game is rather low-handed - I am often
stuck seeing the same ad 5 to 10 times in a row. Most other companies allow you to skip the add after 5 or so seconds if you want. But now my run to complete at least one solitaire game per day in a month is thwarted. The solitaire games are well designed
and fun when you can play them and deserve a high rating, but with the ads I would give this 3 Stars. Since it's now broken it gets none, which might just be a non-issue if ads weren't forced on us in the first place.

 

It's working for me now. There seems to have been some sort of hidden update because now I'm getting a news notification about the star club tournament that wasn't there before yesterday. No ad lockup for me since that appeared.

 

Same issue for... Solitaire, Mah-jong, Sudoku. Started happening a few days ago. Ads freeze and don't allow me to play the daily challenges. Getting rid of my surface, and replacing with an android tablet..... tired of Microsoft BS.

 

And now the problem is back. Was working fine up until about 10 minutes ago and am now trying to get into a star club pack and an ad has everything locked up.

 

This has been happening with me, too, for a couple days now. I'm always stunned that these problems come up and we're rarely acknowledged by the folks who could help. Grrrr.

 

Same thing is happening on my computer. I installed all updates, restarted and still the blank ad page is always displaying when I try to play a Daily Challenge game.

 

The same thing has begun happening to me. I has also happened to my Microsoft Mahjong. I got on a live chat with Xbox who gave me a couple of numbers. I haven't called them yet but plan to. They are 1-800-792-4651 for tech support. I also have a big
ad in my Sticky Notes app which can only be removed of I pay for the app. In addition, if I had to go for paying for the app, I certainly wouldn't pay for yearly. I am very disappointed as I play the daily challenges on both the solitaire and Mahjong and
have done so for a couple of years.

 

Your ads are locking up the game. TAKE THE ADS DOWN UNTIL YOU CAN GET IT FIGURED OUT. If your ads are causing problems, TAKE THEM DOWN!

 

Still not working after doing all nonessential updates. Your products and company are a JOKE.

 

Had the same problem.....SOLUTION THAT WORKED FOR ME......... hit the esc key...try a different game within the set until you find one of the five that starts. By doing this, I was able to complete all sets.

 

I was able to get the escape key to work once a couple of days ago, but most of the time the only way I was able to get out of the lock was to close the entire program. If you can get the escape key to work though, it's a good solution!

As it is (and knock on wood), my game seems to be working again since yesterday. I wonder if the problem is with one particular ad that won't play nice and so will lock up the game while other ads are fine. It could explain why this problem is happening
intermittently depending on how often that ad comes up.