Spiderette
Spider solitaire with a single deck, laid out like Klondike. Build runs from king down to ace in one suit and clear all four. Every deal here has been played to a win by a solver.
How to play Spiderette
How to play
Seven columns hold 1 to 7 cards, with only the top card face up; the other 24 cards wait in the stock. Put any card on a card one rank higher, whatever the suit: a 7 on an 8. A run of cards can only move together when it is all one suit and in order. Any card or run can go into an empty column. Drag cards, or tap a card and then tap the column it should go to. Double-tap sends a card or run to the best spot.
Dealing and runs
Tap the stock to deal one card face up onto each of the seven columns. Every column needs at least one card before you can deal. There are four deals: three of seven cards and a last one of three, which goes onto the three columns on the left. A full run from king to ace in one suit leaves the table by itself; clear all four to win.
Tips
Turn over the face-down cards first: the long columns on the right hide the most. Build in one suit whenever you have the choice, because mixed runs cannot move together. An empty column is the most useful thing on the table, so fill it with care. Deal only when you have done everything useful.
Levels
With 1 suit every card is a spade, so any ordered run can move. 2 suits uses spades and hearts. 4 suits is a normal deck and the real challenge. On every level, each deal comes from a bank of deals that a solver has played through to a win.
Questions
What is Spiderette solitaire?
Spiderette is Spider solitaire played with one deck instead of two. The 52 cards are dealt in Klondike’s shape: seven columns of 1 to 7 cards, top cards face up, and a stock of 24 cards. You win by building four runs from king down to ace, one per suit.
How is Spiderette different from Spider solitaire?
Spider uses two decks in ten columns and needs eight runs; Spiderette uses one deck in seven columns and needs four. A deal puts one card on each of the seven columns, and the last deal has only three cards. The building rules are the same.
Can every game of Spiderette be won?
No, especially with 4 suits: our solver wins about three in four random 2-suit deals but only about one in three with 4 suits. Every deal here was first played to a win by the solver and the win was replayed through the rules, so a win is always possible.
Why can’t I deal from the stock?
Every column must have at least one card before you deal. Move any card or run into the empty column first. Once the stock is empty, there are no more deals.
What does the hint do?
It rates every legal move, including the card a move would turn over, then highlights the best one and tells you why, such as turning over a hidden card or building a run in one suit. Because it can see face-down cards, the game asks you once before giving these hints.