How to play Spider Solitaire

Spider is a solitaire game played with two decks. Your goal is to build eight runs from King down to Ace, each in a single suit. Every finished run leaves the table, and you win when all eight are gone.

The layout

Ten columns. The first four start with six cards and the other six with five. Only the top card of each column is face up.
The stock holds the other 50 cards. Each deal puts one card face up on every column, so a game has five deals.
Finished runs stack up at the side of the table, one King for each run.

The rules

Put a card on any card one rank higher, of any suit. A 7 can go on any 8.
You can move a group of cards together only when they're the same suit and in order, like the 9, 8 and 7 of hearts.
Any card, or any same-suit group, can go into an empty column.
When you build a run from King to Ace in one suit, it leaves the table by itself.
When a face-down card is uncovered, it turns over.
When you run out of moves, tap the stock to deal. You can't deal while a column is empty.

1, 2 or 4 suits

With 1 suit, every card is a spade, so any run can move and every run can be finished. It's the best way to learn. 2 suits (spades and hearts) makes you think about which cards to stack. 4 suits is the classic, hardest game, where building in suit matters on every move. To switch, tap New and pick a mode.

Controls

Drag a card or a same-suit group onto another column. The places it can go light up while you drag.
Tap or click a card to send it to the best place, preferring a card of the same suit.
Hint shows a useful move. Press it again to see another one.
Undo takes back as many moves as you like, deals included.
On a keyboard, Space deals, H shows a hint, Ctrl + Z undoes a move and N starts a new game.

Scoring

Event	Points
Starting score	500
Each move or deal	−1
Each finished run	+100

Your score never goes below zero. Undo takes back a move, points included.

Tips for winning more games

Turn over face-down cards. Every hidden card you uncover gives you more choices.
Build in suit when you can. A same-suit run moves as a group. A mixed stack stays where it is.
Empty a column whenever you can. An empty column is the best tool in the game. Use it to break up mixed stacks and rebuild them in suit.
Make every useful move before you deal. A deal drops a card on every column and can bury what you were working on.
Be careful with Kings. Nothing goes above a King, so a King in the middle of a column can block it for a long time.
Start with 1 suit. Once you win regularly, move up to 2 suits, then 4.
Use Undo to explore. Try a line of play, and if it goes nowhere, take it back.

Questions

Can every game be won?

No. Some deals can't be solved however you play, and wins are far more common with one suit than with four. In four-suit Spider, even good players win only about one game in three.

How many cards does Spider use?

104, the same as two standard decks. With 1 or 2 suits, those suits repeat so there are still 104 cards.

Is it free? Do I need an account?

Yes, it's free, and there's nothing to download or sign up for. Your current game and your statistics are saved in this browser on this device.

What happens if I close the page?

Your game is saved after every move. Open the page again in the same browser and you'll pick up where you left off.

Can I play offline?

Yes. After your first visit the game works without an internet connection. On a phone, add it to your home screen to open it like an app.

Why is it called Spider?

The usual explanation is the eight runs you need to finish, like a spider's eight legs, though nobody knows for sure. The game became widely known after Microsoft included it in Plus! 98 and then in Windows Me and Windows XP.

How is Spider different from Klondike?

Klondike uses one deck, builds in alternating colors and sends cards to the foundations one at a time. Spider uses two decks, lets you build on any suit, and only removes complete King-to-Ace runs.