A short history of Spider solitaire
Spider is one of the best-known solitaire games in the world, yet for most of its life it was a quiet card game played at kitchen tables. Here is how it got from there to millions of computer screens.
An old patience game
Solitaire games — called "patience" in Britain — became popular in the 1800s, and books collecting dozens of them were printed in Europe and America. Spider belongs to this family. It appears in American card game books in the first half of the twentieth century and was described by the well-known card game writers Albert Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith, who helped bring it to a wide audience.
Why "Spider"?
No one knows for certain, but the usual explanation is the number eight. A spider has eight legs, and a game of Spider is won by completing eight full runs of cards. With two decks and ten columns spread across the table, the layout can also look a little like a web.
Onto the computer
Spider became a household name when Microsoft included it with Windows. It first appeared in the Microsoft Plus! 98 add-on pack, then came built in with Windows ME and Windows XP. Because it came free with so many home and office computers, a whole generation learned it on a lunch break. Microsoft's version offered one, two or four suits, and the one-suit game became the favorite of many casual players.
Why people love it
Spider rewards patience more than luck. Every move feels like progress, finished runs disappear with a small sense of accomplishment, and a game can be enjoyed in short sittings.
Calm Spider today
Calm Spider keeps the classic rules and adds what older computer versions lacked: large, easy-to-read cards, no timer, unlimited Undo, and deals that are checked to be winnable before you see them. You can play 1 suit or 2 suits for free in any browser.
Learn the rules in how to play, or pick up a few tips.