Two decks and ten columns. Build runs from King down to Ace in one suit to clear them off the table.
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How to play Spider Solitaire
Spider uses 104 cards, which is two full decks. The goal is to build eight complete runs from King down to Ace, each in a single suit. A finished run leaves the table on its own, and you win when all eight are gone.
The layout
- 54 cards are dealt into ten columns. The first four columns get six cards and the rest get five. Only the bottom card of each column is face up.
- The other 50 cards make up the stock at the top left, which you deal in five rows of ten.
Rules
- Any card can go on a card one rank higher, in any suit. For example, a 7 goes on any 8.
- You can only move a group of cards together if they are all the same suit and in order.
- Any card or valid group can go into an empty column.
- Clicking the stock deals one card face up onto every column. Every column has to have a card first.
Choosing a difficulty
- 1 suit: every card is a spade, so every run can move. A good place to start.
- 2 suits: spades and hearts. This is where the game gets interesting.
- 4 suits: the full game. Hard, and many deals can't be won.
Tips
- Build in one suit whenever you can, because mixed runs get stuck.
- An empty column is your most useful space. Use it to rearrange runs before you fill it for good.
- Make every move you can before dealing from the stock, since each deal covers up all ten columns.
A little history
Spider is a two-deck patience game from the early twentieth century. It was already well known by the time Albert Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith wrote about it in their books on patience games, which called it one of the best two-deck solitaires.
Its big moment came with computers. Microsoft added Spider Solitaire to Windows in the late 1990s, first in the Plus! 98 add-on and then as a standard game in Windows ME and Windows XP. The choice of one, two or four suits made it easy to learn and hard to master, and it soon rivalled Klondike as the most played solitaire on the PC.
Spider Solitaire FAQ
Why is it called Spider Solitaire?
The usual explanation is the eight runs you build, one for each of a spider's eight legs. Nobody knows for certain where the name came from.
Which difficulty should I start with?
Start with 1 suit. Every card is a spade, so every run can move as a group and most deals can be won. Move up to 2 suits once you win regularly, and try 4 suits when you want a real challenge.
Can every Spider deal be won?
Not every one. With 1 suit nearly all deals can be won with good play. With 4 suits many can't, because cards you need end up buried under runs of other suits.
Why can't I deal from the stock?
Every column needs at least one card before you can deal. Move a card or a run into each empty column first, then tap the stock.
How many cards does Spider use?
104 cards, which is two full decks. In 1 suit and 2 suit games the decks are made up of only spades, or spades and hearts, so there are more copies of each card.
Do runs have to be in one suit?
You can build on any card one rank higher, whatever the suit. But only a run in one suit can be moved as a group, and only a full King-to-Ace run in one suit leaves the table.
Are my stats saved?
Yes, on this device, separately for 1, 2 and 4 suits. There's no account, so they stay in this browser.
Ready for more? The Spider Solitaire strategy guide → covers what to do in every phase of a game.