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Spider Solitaire: The Master Puzzle of Sequences

Spider Solitaire runs on two full decks: 104 cards dealt into ten columns. Your job is to build complete runs from King down to Ace. You can stack cards descending regardless of suit. But you can only move runs together if every card belongs to the exact same suit. The name comes from the eight foundation stacks you must finish, matching the eight legs of a spider. Pure luck will not save you here. You win through board control, spatial arithmetic, and patience.

Origins and Presidential Favor

The game first appeared in print in 1917 in Ely Culbertson's rulebooks. President Franklin D. Roosevelt played it late at night during World War II to clear his head. In 1998, Microsoft packaged Spider into Windows 98 Plus. That single release turned the game into an office obsession across the globe.

1-Suit, 2-Suit, and 4-Suit Variations

Spider scales by suit count. 1-Suit uses only Spades. Most players win 90% of their 1-Suit deals because every descending run stays movable. 2-Suit mixes Spades and Hearts. Win rates drop to 50% as mismatched runs lock up your columns. 4-Suit uses all four suits across both decks. It is brutal. Win rates plunge below 10% unless you lean heavily on undo.

Board Setup and Card Distribution

Deal 54 cards across 10 tableau columns. The first four columns get 6 cards each. The other six columns get 5 cards. Only the top card in each column sits face-up. Everything else starts hidden face-down. The remaining 50 cards wait in your stock pile. You deal them in five rounds of 10 cards, dropping one fresh card on every column.

Essential Spider Solitaire Concepts

  • Suited vs. Off-Suit Runs: Put an 8 on any 9. But if the suits clash, the run breaks. You cannot move that stack until you strip away the mismatch.
  • Empty Columns: An empty column is your greatest weapon. Park any loose card or suited run there to dig out hidden cards buried deep in other piles.
  • Stock Deal Rules: Dealing drops one new card on every column. The game blocks you from dealing if any column is empty. Every lane needs at least one card.
  • Completed Legs: Finish a 13-card run from King down to Ace in one suit. The game removes the stack from the board into your foundation immediately.

Object of the Game

Build eight complete 13-card runs from King down to Ace in matching suits. Clear all 104 cards from the board to win.

Rules of Engagement

Stack cards down in rank: King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, Ace. You can place any card on a card one rank higher. Color does not matter for placing. It matters for moving. Only pure, single-suit sequences move as a group. Expose a face-down card and it flips face-up on the spot. Any card or suited run can drop into an empty space. When you run out of moves, deal 10 new cards from the stock. Just fill every empty lane first.

Step-by-Step Gameplay

  • 1. Uncover Face-Down Cards: Target your deepest columns first. Flip those hidden cards.
  • 2. Build Same-Suit Runs: When you have two moves, choose the one in the same suit. Keep your stacks mobile.
  • 3. Clear an Empty Column: Strip one column down to the felt. Do this early.
  • 4. Clean Up Before Dealing: Exhaust every single move on the board before touching the stock pile.
  • 5. Peel Apart Off-Suit Cards: Use empty spaces like a sorting bay to separate mixed suits.
  • 6. Complete the 8 Legs: Clear all eight 13-card runs off the felt to win.

Suit Difficulties and Scoring

Spider tracks both speed and economy. You start with 500 points. Every move costs 1 point. Every completed 13-card run adds 100 points. High scores go to players who solve boards in fewer transfers.

Winning Tactics

  • Dig Out Hidden Cards: Treat hidden cards as your priority. Finding them gives you fresh ranks to build on.
  • Never Waste an Empty Column: Do not park a King in an empty space unless you have the Queen and Jack ready to build underneath it.
  • Stick to Single Suits: Mismatched cards feel convenient, but they paralyze your columns. Keep suits pure.
  • Delay the Stock Deal: The stock drops 10 random cards over your neat runs. Fix your board before you deal.

About Spider Solitaire at Unicorn Games

Play Spider Solitaire directly in your browser. Fast controls, unlimited undo, no downloads, and no ads blocking your cards. Try Klondike and FreeCell next.

Feedback & Suggestions

Got ideas or spotted an issue? Write to us directly at g@unicorn.games.