About Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is one of the best-known patience games, and this version plays it straight. Two full decks are dealt into columns on the table, most of the cards face down. Your job is to build runs of cards in descending order, from King all the way down to Ace.
A run only counts when every card in it is the same suit. Complete one and it lifts off the table. Do that eight times and you have won. You can place a card on any card one rank higher, whatever its suit, but mixed-suit runs cannot be moved as a group, and that tension is where the strategy comes from.
Difficulty is set by the number of suits in play. One suit is forgiving and a good way to learn. More suits demand real planning, because every convenient move with the wrong suit is a knot you will have to untie later.
How to play Spider Solitaire
- Choose a difficulty level based on the number of suits.
- Move a card onto another card that is exactly one rank higher.
- Build runs in descending order: King, Queen, Jack, 10 down to 2, finishing with the Ace.
- Complete a full run in a single suit to remove it from the table.
- Deal a new row from the stock when you run out of moves, and clear all eight sets to win.
Tips and tricks
- Build in a single suit whenever you have the choice. Same-suit runs can be moved together; mixed ones cannot.
- Empty a column as early as you can. A free column is the most valuable space on the table.
- Turn face-down cards before making tidy-looking moves that reveal nothing.
- Put off dealing from the stock until you have used every useful move. A new row buries your runs.
Game details
- Category
- Cards
- Developer
- bestphysics
- Plays on
- Desktop, tablet and phone
- Released
- May 28, 2024
- Price
- Free
Frequently asked questions
How do I win Spider Solitaire?
Build eight complete runs from King down to Ace, each in a single suit. Every completed run is removed, and clearing all eight wins the game.
What do the difficulty levels change?
They change how many different suits are in play. Fewer suits make it easier to build complete same-suit runs.
Can I place a card on a different suit?
Yes, as long as it is one rank lower. But only runs of a single suit can be moved as a unit or removed from the table.