Objective
Build and clear 8 complete sequences from King down to Ace. When you clear all 8 sequences, you win.
Cards and setup
- This mode uses 104 cards: 8 copies of the Spades suit.
- 10 tableau columns are dealt at the start: Columns 1–4 have 6 cards each, Columns 5–10 have 5 cards each.
- Only the top card of each tableau column starts face-up.
- The remaining cards form the Stock. There is no Waste pile.
Piles (what each area is)
- Tableau: 10 columns where you build descending runs.
- Stock: the remaining cards used to deal new rows to the tableau.
- Completed: cleared King→Ace sequences (0/8 to 8/8).
Tableau rules and allowed moves
- Build down by rank: you can place a card (or a stack) onto a card that is one rank higher (example: 8 on 9). Suit does not matter for placing.
- Empty columns accept any card or stack.
- In Solitarium.io, you can move any face-up descending sequence as a stack. Some classic rule references only allow same-suit stacks to move, so this page describes the more permissive rule implemented here.
- After you move cards away from a column, if the new top card is face-down it flips face-up automatically.
Completing sequences
- When the top of a tableau column contains a complete King→Ace sequence in the same suit (in 1-suit mode, that’s always Spades), it is cleared automatically and added to Completed.
Dealing from Stock
- Click Stock to deal one new row: 10 cards, one face-up card added to each tableau column.
- You can only deal a row when all 10 tableau columns are non-empty.
Controls and helpers
- Drag and drop: drag a face-up card or valid descending stack between columns.
- Undo / redo: Undo is available in the HUD and via Cmd/Ctrl+Z; Redo via Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z (or Ctrl+Y on Windows).
- Hint: suggests a legal move when one exists.
Saving and sharing
- Your progress auto-saves locally in the browser and restores if you refresh or reopen the tab.
- Use Share to copy a short link that recreates the same starting deal (seed-based).
Why is it called Spider Solitaire?
Spider is part of the larger patience, or solitaire, family of one-player card games. It stands apart from Klondike because the foundations are not built one card at a time. Instead, you arrange complete King-to-Ace sequences inside the tableau and clear each finished sequence from the board.
The name is commonly linked to the eight completed sequences you must clear, often compared with the eight legs of a spider. Digital solitaire collections helped make Spider familiar to players who already knew Klondike, FreeCell, and other Windows-era card games.
Strategy tips
- Work toward complete sequences. Every move should push you closer to a full King-to-Ace run in one column. Moves that shuffle cards around without building sequences waste time.
- Clear columns whenever you can. An empty column lets you place any card freely and gives you room to reorganize. Keep long sequences in as few columns as possible.
- Delay dealing from stock. Each stock deal adds 10 cards that may cover progress you have already made. Exhaust every useful move before clicking the stock.
- Move sequences, not individual cards. When you can move a long run as a single stack, do it — it opens more of the board at once.
- Use undo to explore. Spider rewards looking ahead. If a stock deal made things worse, undo it and rethink before committing.
How is 1-suit Spider different from 4-suit?
In 1-suit mode all 104 cards are Spades, so any card can be placed on any card one rank higher without worrying about suit. Sequences also clear automatically since all cards already match the suit requirement. In 4-suit mode all four suits are present and a sequence only clears when all 13 cards in the run are the same suit — making every move far more consequential.
Where does 1-suit fit in the Spider family?
The three common Spider modes are 1-suit, 2-suit, and 4-suit. The layout is identical across all three: 104 cards, 10 tableau columns, and 8 sequences to clear. The difference is how many suits are in the deck.
1-suit is the natural starting point because every card is a Spade — any complete descending run already qualifies for clearing, so you can focus entirely on uncovering face-down cards, keeping empty columns open, and timing stock deals. Once 1-suit feels comfortable, 2-suit introduces the first layer of suit planning, and 4-suit is the expert challenge where suit management drives every decision.
Is 1-suit Spider easy to win?
It is the easiest common Spider variant, but it is not automatic. You still need to uncover face-down cards, keep columns open, and delay stock deals until the tableau has no useful moves left.
Observed win rates vary by rule implementation and player skill, so we avoid treating outside player data as a universal guarantee. The safe takeaway is that 1-suit is the beginner-friendly Spider mode, while 4-suit is the expert challenge.
Can I move a mixed-suit stack?
Yes. You can move any face-up descending run regardless of suit. However, a sequence only clears from the board when all 13 cards are the same suit. In 1-suit mode that happens automatically since every card is a Spade.
When can I deal from the stock?
You can only deal a new row when every tableau column has at least one card. Fill any empty columns before dealing — otherwise the deal is blocked.
Can I undo in Spider Solitaire?
Yes. Unlimited undo is available via the Undo button or Cmd/Ctrl+Z, and it also rolls back stock deals. Use it freely — Spider rewards careful planning and undoing a bad deal is a normal part of the game.
Sources and further reading
These references informed the rules, variant, and difficulty notes on this page.