Overview
Build sequences of same-suit cards, ordered King through Ace. Once you finish a sequence, it is removed from the tableau. Remove six of these sequences to win the game.
Controls
- Move cards by clicking and dragging them to new columns. If the new location is not a valid place to put the card, it will snap back to the original location.
- You can move a group of cards by selecting the highest-ranked card in the group you want to move. Note that this group of cards must be of the same suit in order to move them. If the new location is not a valid place to put the group, the group will snap back to its original location.
- Deal a Draw Pile by tapping on any available pile.
- If the Undo button is active, you can click on it to undo your last move.
- Click on the “End” button in the upper right of the game screen to end the game early. Your current score will be posted, plus a time bonus based on how many sequences you cleared. If you become stuck during the game, you should end early.
Rules
This version of Spider Solitaire uses a deck of 78 cards. It will consist of one or two suits, depending on the tournament settings. In the 1-Suit version, the deck consists of just Spades, six of each card (six Kings, six Queens, and so forth). In the 2-Suit version, there are both Spades and Hearts (three of each card).
At the start of the game, 38 cards are dealt to eight different columns. The first six columns receive four face-down cards and one face-up card, while the next two columns receive three face-down cards and one face-up card. The remaining 40 cards are dealt to five Draw Piles, each consisting of seven face-down cards and one face-up card.
Any single card that is last in a column may be picked up and moved to a different column, as long as it is placed in sequence with the card that is currently last in the chosen column. In other words, the card must be placed on top of a card that is one rank higher. Kings are high and Aces are low, so sequences run from King to Ace. For example, you can move a 5♠ and place it on a 6♠, a Q♠ and place it on a K♠, or an A♠ and place it on a 2♠.
You can also move groups of cards, as long as they are both in sequence and of the same suit. For example, consider the following column:
Q♠
10♠
9♠
8♠
You could move the 8♠, the 8♠ + 9♠, or the 8♠ + 9♠ + 10♠, but you couldn't move all four cards, as there is a break in the sequence between the 10 and the Queen. Another example:
8♠
7♥
6♠
5♠
Here you can move the 5♠, or the 5♠ + 6♠, but you couldn't also include the 7♥ since it is of a different suit.
These groups can be placed on any column where the last card in that column is one rank higher than the highest-ranked card in the group you are moving. For example, you can place a group consisting of A♠ + 2♠ onto a column that has a 3♠ as the last card. You can also place any card or group of cards into an empty column.
Note that there is an extra column, called the "Free Column," which is empty at the start of the game. It is available for use at any time if you need it. However, if you can successfully complete the game without placing any cards in this column, you will receive 100 bonus points. If a successful move leaves a column with only face-down cards, the top face-down card is automatically flipped over.
There are five Draw Piles available from the start of the game. You can tap on any of these piles to deal a face-up card to each of the first eight columns. The face-up card of the draw pile will be dealt to the first column.
Once you complete a sequence of same-suit cards running from King to Ace, that sequence is removed from play, and a small spider will descend from the top of the screen indicating this achievement. Remove six of these sequences to successfully complete the game.
There is an Undo button you can use to undo the last move. You can undo any move except for dealing a draw pile or clearing a column.
Scoring
- Receive 25 points for every face-down tableau card you reveal.
- Receive 100 points for each complete sequence you remove (King through Ace).
- You'll earn 100 bonus points if you successfully complete the game (removing all six sequences) without using the Free Column.
At the end of the game, you will receive a Time Bonus equal to one point for each unused second, times the percentage of successfully completed hand sequences. That is: Time Bonus = ( TR ) x ( CS / 6 )
TR is the amount of time remaining (in seconds), and CS is the number of completed sequences.
Settings
There are a variety of settings in the Settings menu (gear icon on the Start Screen).
- Sound/Music: Sliders control the volume of the sound effects or music. Each of these can be muted as well.
- Simple Mode: Removes some of the extra art and animations from the game including the spiders and score animations.
- Card Selection: Let’s you choose which card face you prefer.
- Portrait Orientation: Changes the orientation to portrait.
Tips
- Try to expose face-down cards as quickly as possible to open up new moves.
- Try to create empty columns as early as possible, which can then be used to help build in-suit sequences.
- Arrange and expose as many cards as you can before resorting to a Draw Pile.
- The top card of each Draw Pile is face-up, so choose a pile showing a card you need.
- If you can, avoid using the Free Column. If you can successfully complete the game without using this column, you'll score extra points.
- In a competition with multiple suits, you should always try to build sequences of the same suit (known as a "natural build"). That way, you may move these partial sequences around as a group to other columns.