Spider is a popular 2-deck solitaire game which is challenging and fun to play. It takes a bit of practice to master this game. Spider has many devotees because it is challenging yet often winnable. In addition, this implementation makes excellent use of the Mac's color graphics abilities, as it has large cards with intricate designs. The program supports animation, sounds, infinite undo, statistics, and has many options. It also supports all combinations of large, small, greyscale and color displays. It is compatible with systems 6, 7, A/UX, and supports all Macs from the Mac Plus up through the Powerbooks and PowerMacs. The color version, Spider 1.3, has outstanding color cards, which were hand drawn pixel by pixel and were specially designed for Spider.
If you have never played Spider before, you are in for a treat. It is one of the most popular of the two-deck solitaire games, but it is substantially more difficult than Klondike, which is the actual name of common solitaire. Learning to play Spider well enough to be able to beat it takes a bit of practice. Fortunately, all the rules and several tips and shortcuts are built right into the program.
As an additional aid to the new Spider player, there are sample games included in the archive. Once you have learned the basic rules, try opening these and "redo"ing to see how it is possible to win a game of Spider. Sometimes it just helps to watch someone else play.
As long as you are still learning how to play, the program is completely FREE. When you have practiced enough to be able to remove suits. Then you can license a complete copy for only $10 or $20 ($5 extra outside USA). That means I only make money when you are able to beat the game, and it also means that when you register the program you know exactly what you are getting for your money.
Since Spider is a participating shareware game, when you register you also are entitled to the National Home and School MUG's $3 off membership offer. NHSMUG membership includes 6 issues annually of the "Home and School MAC". Along with each issue of this disk-based magazine is included 1200k of the best shareware game and educational software which has been released during the previous two months. At $15 per year (less if you register Spider). This is a good deal, and I recommend it.
Spider 1.3 and Spider 1.3m are Copyright 1990, 1992, 1993 Steven R. Weiss. All rights reserved Worldwide. Free distribution of the demo version in its original form by electronic means or on floppy disk is permitted providing that the distribution is not for profit.
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