Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire uses two full decks, 104 cards, spread across ten columns. The goal is to build eight complete sequences, each a same-suit line that starts at King and ends at Ace, and clear them off the table.
Before each deal you choose one, two or four suits. One suit is relaxed and good for learning, while four suits is a slow, careful puzzle. The game runs in a regular browser tab with no install, so it works on most laptops, tablets and Chromebooks.
How to play Spider Solitaire
Fifty-four cards go out at the start. The four left-hand columns get six cards each and the other six get five, with just the last card in each column face up. The remaining fifty cards form the stock.
Any card may be placed on a card exactly one rank higher, regardless of suit, and an empty column accepts anything. Moving a group is stricter: several cards can only move together when they form a descending run of the same suit. A mixed run has to be broken up one card at a time.
Out of moves? Tap the stock to deal one card face up onto each of the ten columns. You get five such deals, and none is allowed while a column is empty. A finished thirteen-card sequence in one suit is removed automatically. Clear all eight to win.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick up a card or run | Arrow keys to the card, Enter or Space | Click the card | Tap the card |
| Drop it on a column | Arrow keys to the column, Enter | Click the column | Tap the column |
| Deal from the stock | — | Click the stock (shows deals left) | Tap the stock |
| Undo a move or deal | — | Click Undo | Tap Undo |
| Change suits and restart | — | Choose 1, 2 or 4 suits, New game | Choose 1, 2 or 4 suits, New game |
Tips
- When you have a choice, place cards on the same suit. Same-suit runs move as a block later, and mixed ones do not.
- An empty column is your most useful tool. It lets you take apart a mixed run and rebuild it, so do not fill it with a random card.
- Turning over face-down cards should be a constant goal, and the four left columns hide the most of them.
- Exhaust every useful move before tapping the stock. A new deal drops a card on every column and can cover a run you almost finished.
- If two or four suits feel overwhelming, spend a few games on one suit first. You will learn how to manage columns without the extra pressure.
If you like Spider Solitaire, try these
FreeCell SolitaireLong-planning card fans get all 52 cards face up, with four spare cells to juggle instead of a stock.
Mahjong SolitairePatient solo clearing moves from cards to tiles, freeing matching pairs from a tall layered stack.
Questions
What is the easiest way to play Spider Solitaire?
Pick 1 suit before you deal. All 104 cards are then the same suit, so any run you build can move as a group.
Why can't I deal more cards in Spider Solitaire?
You cannot deal while any column is empty. Put at least one card in every column, then tap the stock again, as long as deals remain.
Can I play Spider Solitaire with the keyboard?
Yes. The arrow keys move between cards and columns, and Enter or Space picks up or drops the selection.
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