About Spider Solitaire
A single card blocks three columns. Drag a Jack onto that Queen, and the column beneath reveals what you need — or scatters the tableau further. This is the half-second that defines every Spider Solitaire session: one move commits the entire board to a chain of reveals, and the rest of the puzzle is fallout from that choice. The two decks spread across eight piles wait for you to spot the critical transfer — not the tidy sequence forming in column five, but the one card that opens everything else. That moment, not completion, is where the game lives.
Spider Solitaire is a classic card-sorting puzzle where you organize two decks into eight piles. The goal is to build complete, descending sequences from King to Ace all in the same suit. There's a real satisfaction in clearing a full set from the board. The challenge comes from strategically moving cards to uncover hidden ones, with difficulty based on how many suits you choose to play. It's a perfect blend of thoughtful planning and that addictive urge to tidy everything into perfect order.
How to Play Spider Solitaire
- Deal two full decks into eight columns, with the first four columns containing six cards and the last four containing five cards.
- Move any exposed card onto a card of the next higher rank, regardless of suit, to start building sequences.
- To remove a completed sequence from the board, assemble cards of the same suit in descending order from King to Ace in one column.
- When no moves remain on the tableau, click the stock in the lower-right corner to deal one card to each column.
- If a column becomes empty, any exposed card or sequence may be moved into the empty space.
- The game ends when all eight sequences are completed and removed from the tableau.
Game Features
- Complete sequences must be built in the same suit, from King down to Ace.
- Intermediate moves allow building cross-suit sequences, adding to planning complexity.
- Empty columns provide strategic flexibility for organizing the tableau.
- The stock deals one card to each column when no moves are possible, introducing new possibilities.
- Multiple difficulty options are available by choosing 1, 2, or 4 suits to play with.
Tips & Strategies
- Prioritize uncovering hidden cards over building long sequences, as face-down cards limit your options.
- Use empty columns as temporary holding areas to rearrange cards and free up stuck sequences.
- Try to keep same-suit cards together even in cross-suit builds, so you can move them as a unit later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I move a sequence that isn't all the same suit?
You can move a sequence only if all cards in that group are the same suit, because they must be picked up as a single unit.
Can I undo a deal from the stock?
No, dealing from the stock cannot be reversed, so consider whether you truly have no other moves before clicking.
How many card decks are used in Spider Solitaire?
The game uses two standard 52-card decks, for a total of 104 cards dealt across eight columns and the stock.
Category & Tags
Game Details
- Category: Color Sort, Number & Letter Sort
- Last updated: April 14, 2026
