Spider Solitaire: How Hard Are 1, 2 and 4 Suits?
Spider uses two decks and eight runs to build, and the number of suits changes the game more than any other option. This page lays out how many deals our solver could prove winnable in each mode, and is careful about what those numbers do and do not say about difficulty.
What our solver found
We ran the solver over 7,995 numbered Spider deals in each mode and replayed every winning line it found.
| Suits | Deals proved winnable | Share of 7,995 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 suit | 7,851 | 98.2% |
| 2 suits | 5,692 | 71.2% |
| 4 suits | 228 | 2.9% |
How to read the 4-suit number
The 4-suit figure is a statement about our solver, not about Spider. Four suits is a much bigger search, and within the budget we gave it the solver could prove only 228 deals. That does not mean 97% of 4-suit deals cannot be won; it means we could not prove them. Because new 4-suit games are drawn only from the proved set, you may meet the same deal again.
What changes between modes
The rules are the same in all three modes: ten columns, a 50-card stock dealt ten at a time, and runs that move together only when they are the same suit in descending order. In 1-suit every descending run is movable. Adding a second suit means mixed stacks become hard to move, and with four suits you must connect cards of the right suit from the start. Our figures are consistent with that ordering of difficulty, but a solver count is not a human win rate, and we have not measured one.
Tactics for all modes are in the Spider strategy guide.
Which mode to pick
Start with 1 suit to learn the flow, move to 2 suits when you want deals that need real planning, and treat 4 suits as the hardest challenge. Change the mode from the toolbar or the menu; a new game starts.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spider mode is hardest?
Four suits. In our run the solver proved 98.2% of 1-suit deals, 71.2% of 2-suit deals and 2.9% of 4-suit deals winnable, and the 4-suit figure mostly reflects how hard those deals are to prove.
Are all 1-suit Spider deals winnable?
Not all. In our run of 7,995 deals the solver proved 98.2% winnable. The rest were not proved, and Solitaire Play deals only from the proved set.
Why does 4-suit Spider repeat deals?
Our solver could prove only 228 four-suit deals winnable within its budget, and new 4-suit games are drawn from those, so repeats are possible.
Do these numbers tell me my chance of winning?
No. The solver sees every hidden card, and a player does not. They tell you about deals, not about people.