Spider Solitaire

How to play Spider Solitaire

Spider is played with two decks — 104 cards. Ten columns are dealt at the start: the first four get six cards, the other six get five, and only the top card of each column is face up. The remaining 50 cards form the stock, which is dealt in five rounds of ten.

The goal is to build eight complete sequences from King down to Ace in a single suit. A finished sequence is removed from the table automatically. The game is won when all eight are complete.

• Moving cards: a card can go on any card one rank higher, of any suit — a 7 on an 8, a Queen on a King.
• Moving groups: several cards can move together only when they are in descending order and the same suit.
• Empty columns: any card or same-suit group can go into an empty column.
• Face-down cards: when the top card of a column is moved away, the card beneath turns face up.
• Dealing: click the stock (top right) or press D to deal one card onto every column. Every column must hold at least one card before a deal.

Controls

• Tap or click a card to send it (and the cards on top of it) to the best available spot.
• Drag a card or group to choose the column yourself.
• H shows a possible move; press again for the next one. Ctrl+Z or U undoes.
• The current game is saved on this device and restored when you come back.

1 suit, 2 suits or 4 suits

• 1 suit: all cards are spades, so every card can join every sequence. Most games can be won.
• 2 suits: spades and hearts. Mixed-suit stacks block group moves, so planning matters.
• 4 suits: all four suits. The hardest level; many deals cannot be won even with perfect play.

Scoring

Each game starts at 500 points. Every move, deal and undo costs 1 point. Each completed King-to-Ace sequence adds 100 points.

Strategy tips

1. Turn over face-down cards first. Hidden cards are the main obstacle; prefer moves that reveal one.
2. Build in suit whenever possible. A same-suit stack can move as a unit; a mixed stack is stuck until you untangle it.
3. Empty a column, then keep it for as long as you can. An empty column lets you reorder stacks and split mixed piles.
4. Work on the shortest columns early. Fewer cards means a quicker empty column.
5. Deal only when you're out of useful moves. Each deal covers every column with a new card.
6. Kings are hard to move. A King can only go into an empty column, so don't bury useful cards under one.

Frequently asked questions

Can every game be won?

Not every deal. Most 1-suit games can be won; with 4 suits a sizable share of deals cannot be solved.

Is there a limit on undo?

Undo goes back up to 500 steps, including deals.

Why can't I deal?

A deal places one card on every column, so each column must have at least one card first. Move any card into the empty column, then deal.