About Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire is played with two packs of cards in ten columns. You build down from king to ace, and when a column holds a complete run in one suit, from king down to ace, it leaves the table. Clear all eight runs and the game is won. Easy days use spades only, medium days spades and hearts, and hard days all four suits, which takes real planning. A computer solver plays every daily deal through before it is published, so each one can be won.
How to play Spider Solitaire
- Build down in the ten columns: any card can go on a card one rank higher, whatever its suit.
- Cards in order and in the same suit move together as a run. Any card or run can go into an empty column.
- A full run from king down to ace in one suit leaves the table by itself. Clear all eight runs to win.
- When you are stuck, tap the stock to deal one card onto every column (no column may be empty). Easy days use one suit, medium two, hard four.
Tips & strategy
- Turn over face-down cards first: a move that reveals a card is almost always worth more than one that only tidies up.
- Build in one suit whenever you have the choice; only runs of one suit can move together.
- An empty column is your most valuable space. Use it to untangle a mixed column, then fill it again before you deal.
- Before you deal a new row, make every move that helps, because the ten new cards will cover your columns.
Spider Solitaire: questions and answers
Can every daily Spider deal be won?
Yes. Before a deal is published a computer solver plays it to the end, and only a deal it wins is used. Four-suit deals take the longest to check, so they are prepared ahead of time.
What is the difference between one, two and four suits?
With one suit every card can join every run, so the game is gentle. With two or four suits only cards of the same suit move as a run, which makes it much harder.
When can I deal from the stock?
Whenever you like, as long as no column is empty. Each deal puts one card on every column; there are five deals in all.
How is Spider Solitaire ranked?
By the time taken to clear all eight runs, with fewer moves breaking ties. Only a member’s first game of the day counts.