History of Spider Solitaire:
Origins and Microsoft's Influence
From obscure card game to global phenomenon
If you've ever clicked through a Windows Start menu looking for something to kill time, you've probably stumbled onto Spider Solitaire. It's the game that launched a million procrastination sessions, the silent companion of office workers worldwide, and arguably the most addictive card game ever bundled with an operating system.
But here's the thing: Spider Solitaire didn't start with Microsoft. Its roots go back over a century, long before anyone dreamed of personal computers or graphical user interfaces. The history of Spider Solitaire is a fascinating journey from Victorian-era card tables to the glowing screens of modern smartphones.
So who invented Spider Solitaire? When was it first played? And how did a two-deck patience game become one of the most recognizable games on the planet? Let's dig in.
The Early Origins: Before Computers Existed
The earliest known mention of Spider Solitaire appears in a 1917 book called Games of Patience, attributed to Ely Culbertson (though the authorship is sometimes disputed). Culbertson was a legendary bridge player and game theorist who helped popularize contract bridge in America. His documentation of Spider Solitaire described a patience game played with two decks of cards, which is exactly how we know it today.
The name "Spider" likely comes from the eight foundation piles required to win the game. Eight legs, eight piles. It's a bit on the nose, but card game naming conventions have never been particularly subtle.
What made Spider different from other solitaire variants of the time was its sheer difficulty. While games like Klondike (the classic "Solitaire" most people think of) were largely luck-based, Spider demanded real strategic thinking. You couldn't just flip cards and hope for the best. You had to plan, adapt, and sometimes accept that you'd painted yourself into an impossible corner.
The Two-Deck Innovation
Most patience games of the era used a single 52-card deck. Spider's use of two full decks (104 cards) was unusual and created a unique dynamic. With twice as many cards, the game offered more possibilities but also more complexity. The tableau was larger, the stockpile deeper, and the challenge of organizing suits into complete sequences far more demanding.
For decades, Spider remained a niche game known mainly to dedicated card enthusiasts. It wasn't the kind of thing you'd casually play at a party. It was the game you pulled out when you wanted to really test yourself, when you had an hour to kill and a quiet room to yourself.
Microsoft Spider Solitaire: The Game Changer
Everything changed in 1998.
Microsoft included Spider Solitaire as part of the Microsoft Plus! 98 add-on pack for Windows 98. It wasn't bundled with the base operating system initially, which meant you had to buy Plus! separately or know someone who did. But for those who got their hands on it, Spider Solitaire quickly became an obsession.
The digital version solved one of the biggest barriers to playing Spider with physical cards: setup time. Dealing out two decks, arranging ten columns, keeping track of everything on a table? That's a hassle. But with Microsoft's version, you clicked "New Game" and you were off to the races in seconds.
Windows XP: The Golden Age
In 2001, Microsoft made a decision that would cement Spider Solitaire's place in gaming history. They included it as a default game in Windows XP, right alongside Klondike Solitaire, Minesweeper, and FreeCell. No extra purchase required. If you had Windows XP, you had Spider Solitaire.
Windows XP shipped on millions of computers worldwide. It became the dominant operating system for nearly a decade. And every single one of those computers came with Spider Solitaire pre-installed, sitting in the Games folder, waiting to devour your productivity.
The timing was perfect. The early 2000s saw a massive expansion of personal computer ownership. Offices, homes, schools, libraries. Everyone was getting computers, and everyone was discovering Spider Solitaire. It became the game people played when they were supposed to be writing reports, the game they snuck in during lunch breaks, the game their parents couldn't seem to stop playing.
Why Microsoft's Version Worked So Well
Credit where it's due: Microsoft didn't just port Spider Solitaire to computers. They made smart design choices that enhanced the experience.
Difficulty Levels
The inclusion of 1-suit, 2-suit, and 4-suit modes was brilliant. Beginners could enjoy the relaxing 1-suit version where every sequence works together. Experts could torture themselves with 4-suit mode. This accessibility meant everyone could play, regardless of skill level.
Unlimited Undo
Unlike physical cards, the digital version let you undo moves. This transformed the game from a test of luck into a genuine puzzle. Made a bad move? Take it back. Try something else. Learn from your mistakes without having to reshuffle and deal again.
Visual Feedback
The satisfying animation of completed sequences flying off to the foundation piles, the clear visual distinction between movable and stuck cards. These touches made the game feel responsive and rewarding in ways physical cards couldn't match.
Statistics Tracking
Microsoft's version tracked your wins, losses, and winning percentage. This added a competitive element, even if you were only competing against yourself. People became obsessed with improving their stats, playing "just one more game" to boost their win rate.
If you want to learn the fundamentals of the game, check out our guide on how to play Spider Solitaire. Understanding the rules makes the history even more interesting.
A Global Phenomenon
By the mid-2000s, Spider Solitaire had become one of the most played games in the world. Not because of marketing or hype, but simply because it was there. It shipped on every Windows computer, and Windows dominated the market.
Studies from the era suggested that solitaire games (including Spider) were responsible for billions of dollars in lost workplace productivity. Companies started removing games from office computers. IT departments would delete the games folder during setup. But people found ways. They'd download portable versions, play browser-based clones, or simply reinstall the games when IT wasn't looking.
At its peak, Spider Solitaire was played by an estimated 100+ million people worldwide on Windows computers alone.
The game transcended demographics. Young and old, tech-savvy and computer-illiterate, office workers and retirees. Everyone played Spider Solitaire. It became a shared cultural experience, something people could bond over despite having nothing else in common.
The Mobile and Web Era
When smartphones took over the world in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Spider Solitaire made the leap. App stores filled with solitaire games, both official Microsoft versions and countless third-party alternatives. The game adapted surprisingly well to touchscreens. Dragging cards with your finger felt natural, maybe even more intuitive than clicking with a mouse.
Meanwhile, web-based versions emerged, letting people play without installing anything. Sites like ours offer free Spider Solitaire that runs right in your browser, no downloads required. The game became truly platform-agnostic. You could start a game on your work computer, continue on your phone during your commute, and finish on your tablet at home.
We've written about the differences between playing on different devices in our comparison of mobile vs desktop solitaire. Each platform has its advantages.
Windows 8 and Beyond
Microsoft's approach to bundled games shifted with Windows 8 in 2012. The classic games were removed from the base installation, replaced by downloadable apps. The Microsoft Solitaire Collection, which includes Spider Solitaire, became a freemium app with ads and optional premium subscriptions.
This change was controversial among longtime fans. The new versions added features like daily challenges and themes, but they also introduced ads and monetization schemes. Many players preferred the simpler, cleaner experience of the original Windows XP version.
Still, Spider Solitaire persists. Whether through Microsoft's official apps, third-party mobile games, or browser-based versions, the game remains wildly popular. A century after its first documented appearance, people are still building those King-to-Ace sequences.
A Game for the Ages
The history of Spider Solitaire is really a story about accessibility. A challenging card game that existed for decades in relative obscurity became a global phenomenon not because it changed, but because the technology around it changed. Microsoft took an old-school patience game and put it on every computer in the world.
From Ely Culbertson's 1917 documentation to the Windows XP era to today's mobile apps and web versions, Spider Solitaire has proven remarkably resilient. It's not flashy. It doesn't have cutting-edge graphics or online multiplayer. But it offers something timeless: a genuine mental challenge wrapped in a simple, elegant package.
Next time you're arranging those cards, building sequences, and chasing that perfect game, remember you're participating in a tradition that spans over a century. The players have changed. The platforms have changed. But the core experience remains the same.
Eight foundation piles. Two decks. One addictive game.