Spiderette is the single-deck cousin of Spider Solitaire, played on seven tableau columns instead of ten. The rules are otherwise identical: build columns down regardless of suit, but only same-suit Ace-to-King sequences clear to the foundation. The smaller deck and shorter board make Spiderette faster and noticeably easier than full Spider — a good entry point for players moving from Klondike. Free in your browser, no sign-up. Works offline once the page has loaded.
Goal: build four complete King-to-Ace same-suit sequences. Each completed sequence flies to the foundation automatically.
Same rules, smaller scale.
| Aspect | Spider | Spiderette |
|---|---|---|
| Decks | 2 (104 cards) | 1 (52 cards) |
| Tableau columns | 10 | 7 |
| Foundations to complete | 8 | 4 |
| Stock | 50 cards, 5 deals | 21 cards, 3 deals |
| Empty column rule | Any card | Any card |
The single deck means each rank has only four copies (not eight), which makes finding the right card much more predictable.
Spiderette appeared in patience anthologies in the mid-20th century as a single-deck adaptation of Spider for players who didn't have a second deck handy. The name is a diminutive of Spider — same rules, smaller game. It hasn't been included in Microsoft's Solitaire Collection but is common in modern multi-game collections. The 1949 publication of Spider in mainstream patience books predates the Spiderette variant by a decade or so.
This Spiderette runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Install as an app on your phone or computer; once installed it works offline. Unlimited undo, statistics, and a daily challenge that gives every player the same deal that day so you can compare times.
Spiderette uses one deck instead of two, has seven columns instead of ten, and the stock has 21 cards (3 deals) instead of 50 (5 deals). Otherwise the rules are identical. Spiderette is roughly as hard as Spider 2-suit — easier than full Spider 4-suit but harder than Spider 1-suit.
Yes — unlike Klondike, where only Kings fill empty columns, Spiderette lets any card fill them. This matches the standard Spider rule and is one of the reasons the game feels more flexible than Klondike despite being harder overall.
No. Some deals cannot be won, and no published study gives a figure for how many. The single deck helps: each rank has only four copies, so you can track which cards are still hidden. The closed stock hurts: you cannot see the 21 cards it will deal until they land on the columns.
Three times in our version: the stock holds 21 cards, seven per deal, one to each column. After the third deal you play with what's on the table. In this version you can deal even when a column is empty, but filling empty columns first is still good practice.
No, but they're close cousins. Will o' the Wisp uses the same single-deck, seven-column layout but builds down by alternating colors (like Klondike) rather than by rank-only with same-suit clearing (like Spider). Spiderette keeps the Spider rules in miniature.