How to play Spider solitaire
Spider is a patient, satisfying solitaire game played with two decks of cards — 104 cards in all. It looks busy at first, but the rules are simple once you see them laid out. In Calm Spider the cards are large, there is no timer, and every deal can be won.
The goal
Build complete runs from King down to Ace in a single suit. When a full run is finished, it leaves the table by itself. Clear eight runs and you win.
The layout
- Ten columns of cards. Only the bottom card of each column starts face up.
- The deck in the top right corner holds the rest of the cards.
Moving cards
- You can put any card on a card that is one higher — a 6 on a 7, a Jack on a Queen. The suit does not matter for this.
- A group of cards that are in order and all the same suit can move together, like one card.
- Any card (or same-suit group) can go into an empty column — not just a King.
- When you move the last face-up card off a hidden card, the hidden card turns over.
To move, just tap a card — it goes to the best place automatically. You can also drag it. On a small phone screen you can tap anywhere on a column.
Dealing new cards
When you run out of useful moves, tap the deck. One new card is added to the bottom of every column. In classic Spider you cannot deal while a column is empty, so fill empty columns first.
1 suit or 2 suits
1 suit uses only spades, so every card can join every run. It is the best place to start. 2 suits uses spades and hearts; you can still stack a heart on a spade, but only same-suit cards move together, so it takes more planning.
Helpful buttons
- Undo — take back as many moves as you like.
- Hint — shows a good next move.
- Go back to a winnable point (in the menu) — if you have wandered into a dead end, this returns you to a position that can still be won.
- Finish for me — appears when the rest is easy, and plays it out.
Your game saves itself, so you can close the page and pick up later. There is also a new daily puzzle every day.
Ready for more? Read our Spider solitaire tips.