Spider Solitaire
Spider Solitaire on WorldWinner is a timed version played with a 78-card deck in one or two suits, depending on the tournament. Cards are dealt to eight columns, with five Draw Piles and an extra Free Column, and the goal is to remove six same-suit sequences running from King to Ace. WorldWinner's help center lists 25 points per face-down card revealed, 100 points per sequence, a 100-point bonus for not using the Free Column, and a time bonus scaled by sequences completed. Practice is free, and you can compete for cash prizes where available.
Verified facts
| Category | Card Games |
|---|---|
| Genre | Card, Solitaire, Skill game |
| Typical session length | Timed game; the countdown clock is shown in-game |
| Modes | 3 modes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Practice play | Yes, free |
| Cash tournaments | Yes, where available |
| Last reviewed | 2026-09-20 |
How to play Spider Solitaire
- Objective
- Build sequences of same-suit cards ordered King through Ace. A finished sequence is removed from the tableau, and WorldWinner's help center says that removing six sequences completes the game. Because the game is scored, progress counts even when the board is not completed: reveals and sequences score points, and the time bonus grows with each sequence removed.
- Setup
- WorldWinner states that its version uses a deck of 78 cards in one or two suits, depending on the tournament settings. The 1-Suit version uses only Spades, six of each rank. The 2-Suit version uses Spades and Hearts, three of each rank per suit. At the start, 38 cards are dealt to eight columns: the first six columns receive four face-down cards and one face-up card, and the next two receive three face-down cards and one face-up card. The remaining 40 cards form five Draw Piles, each with seven face-down cards and one face-up card on top. An extra column, called the Free Column, starts empty.
- Controls
- Drag cards between columns; an invalid placement snaps back. A card can be placed on a card one rank higher, with Kings high and Aces low. A group of cards can be moved together only if it is in sequence and all of the same suit, by picking up the highest-ranked card of the group. Any card or group can go into an empty column. Tap any Draw Pile to deal one face-up card to each of the first eight columns; WorldWinner notes that the pile's visible top card goes to the first column. When a move leaves a column with only face-down cards, the top one flips automatically. The Undo button reverses the last move, except for dealing a Draw Pile or clearing a column. WorldWinner's March 2025 update added a pause timer, a visual effects toggle, a card style selector, and double-tap to undo in the app.
- How a game ends
- The game ends when six sequences have been removed, when time runs out, or when you press the End button in the upper right. WorldWinner states that ending early posts the current score plus a time bonus based on how many sequences were cleared, and it advises ending early if you become stuck.
How Spider Solitaire scoring works
The values below are the ones published in WorldWinner's help center article for Spider Solitaire, as of the review date on this page. The list is short: moves by themselves score nothing, so points come from reveals, completed sequences, the Free Column bonus, and the time bonus. Values can change between releases, so see the in-game scoring table for current values.
| Action | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Face-down tableau card revealed | 25 points | The opening deal places 30 face-down cards in the eight columns. |
| Complete King-to-Ace sequence removed | 100 points | Six sequences complete the game. |
| Completing the game without using the Free Column | 100 bonus points | Paid only when all six sequences are removed and no card was ever placed in the Free Column. |
| Time bonus | Seconds remaining x (completed sequences / 6) | One point per unused second, multiplied by the share of sequences completed. With no completed sequences the bonus is zero. |
| Dealing a Draw Pile | No points listed | A deal cannot be undone. |
Worked scoring example
Suppose you reveal 20 of the 30 face-down tableau cards (20 x 25 = 500 points) and remove three sequences (3 x 100 = 300 points) before the board stalls. You press End with 120 seconds left. The time bonus is 120 x (3 / 6) = 60 points, for a total of 860. Had you ended with the same 120 seconds but no completed sequences, the published formula would pay a time bonus of zero. A completed game collects 750 points for all 30 reveals, 600 for six sequences, the full remaining seconds as a time bonus, and 100 more if the Free Column was never used.
Skill and fairness
Spider Solitaire rewards planning more than most solitaire variants. WorldWinner's tips call same-suit building a natural build, and its rules only allow same-suit runs to move as a group, so the central skill in the 2-Suit version is choosing between a quick off-suit placement and a slower in-suit one.
WorldWinner's version also gives information that classic Spider does not: the top card of each of the five Draw Piles is visible, and the player chooses which pile to deal. Picking the pile and the moment is a decision, not a draw.
WorldWinner matches opponents using a per-game skill rating, and WorldWinner states that players never face bots. The help center article for Spider Solitaire does not say whether every entrant in a tournament receives the same deal, so this guide does not claim it.
No outcome is guaranteed, and an entry fee can be lost. WorldWinner's published availability list says card games are not offered for cash in Indiana and Maine. Cash play in general varies by location, device, and account, and eligibility is checked before entry to a paid tournament. Practice games are free.
Expert tips for Spider Solitaire
- Expose face-down cards first. WorldWinner's Pro Tips begin here: try to expose face-down cards as quickly as possible to open up new moves. Each reveal is also worth 25 points.
- Create an empty column early. WorldWinner advises creating empty columns as early as possible, because they help build in-suit sequences. The two columns that start with three face-down cards take the fewest moves to empty.
- Work the tableau before dealing a Draw Pile. WorldWinner's tip is to arrange and expose as many cards as possible before resorting to a Draw Pile. A deal puts a new card on each of the eight columns, and it cannot be undone.
- Choose the Draw Pile by its visible card. The top card of each Draw Pile is face up, and WorldWinner says to choose a pile showing a card you need. Its rules add that this visible card is dealt to the first column, so check what sits at the end of that column first.
- Avoid the Free Column on a completable board. Completing the game without ever using the Free Column is worth 100 bonus points. The bonus is only paid on a completed game, so on a board that will not be completed, using the Free Column to finish another sequence costs nothing.
- Build in suit in the 2-Suit version. WorldWinner says that with multiple suits you should always try to build sequences of the same suit, because only those partial sequences can be moved around as a group.
- Finish sequences one at a time. The time bonus is multiplied by completed sequences divided by six. A finished sequence adds 100 points and raises the value of every second left, while a half-built run adds nothing.
- End a stuck game promptly. WorldWinner states that if you become stuck you should end early. With at least one sequence removed, every second spent on moves that lead nowhere reduces the time bonus.
Spider Solitaire modes
1-Suit
Available nowWorldWinner describes the 1-Suit deck as 78 Spades, six of each rank. Every run is a same-suit run, so any ordered group can move together.
2-Suit
Available nowWorldWinner describes the 2-Suit deck as Spades and Hearts, three of each rank per suit, 78 cards in total. Cards can be stacked across suits, but only same-suit runs move as a group. The tournament settings determine which version is played.
Practice game
Available nowA free game with no entry fee and no cash prize, used to learn the Draw Piles, the Free Column, and the time bonus before entering cash tournaments.
Spider Solitaire questions, answered
- Can you play Spider Solitaire on WorldWinner for real money?
- WorldWinner offers Spider Solitaire in paid-entry skill tournaments where players compete for cash prizes where available. Winnings are never guaranteed, and availability varies by location, device, and account. WorldWinner's published list says card games are not offered for cash in Indiana and Maine.
- How is Spider Solitaire scored on WorldWinner?
- WorldWinner's help center lists 25 points for every face-down tableau card revealed, 100 points for each complete King-to-Ace sequence removed, and 100 bonus points for completing the game without using the Free Column. A time bonus is added at the end. See the in-game scoring table for current values.
- How does the time bonus work in WorldWinner Spider Solitaire?
- The published formula is time remaining in seconds multiplied by completed sequences divided by six. Ending with 120 seconds left and three sequences removed pays 60 points. With no sequences removed, the time bonus is zero.
- How many cards does WorldWinner Spider Solitaire use?
- WorldWinner states that its version uses a 78-card deck, not the 104 cards of classic Spider. Thirty-eight cards are dealt to eight columns, and the remaining 40 form five Draw Piles of eight cards each. Six sequences complete the game.
- Is WorldWinner Spider Solitaire one suit or two suits?
- Both exist. WorldWinner's help center says the deck has one or two suits depending on the tournament settings. The 1-Suit version uses only Spades, and the 2-Suit version uses Spades and Hearts.
- What is the Free Column in WorldWinner Spider Solitaire?
- It is an extra column that starts empty and can be used at any time. WorldWinner pays 100 bonus points for completing the game without placing any cards in it, so it is best left alone on a board that looks completable.
- How do the Draw Piles work?
- There are five Draw Piles, each showing its top card face up. Tapping a pile deals one face-up card to each of the first eight columns, and WorldWinner notes that the visible card goes to the first column. Dealing a Draw Pile cannot be undone.
- Can I play WorldWinner Spider Solitaire for free?
- Yes. Practice games have no entry fee and no cash prize. They are a sensible way to get used to the 78-card layout, the Draw Piles, and the time bonus before entering a cash tournament.
- Is Spider Solitaire on WorldWinner skill based?
- Results depend on move choices, Draw Pile timing, and pace. WorldWinner matches opponents by a per-game skill rating and states that players never face bots. It is skill-based tournament play, and no result is guaranteed.
