Frequently asked questions about Simple Simon
What is the difference between Simple Simon and Spider?
Simple Simon is played with a single deck of 52 cards, all dealt face up across 10 columns. There is no stock and no hidden card: everything is visible from the start. The legal moves are those of Spider: place a card on one rank higher, and only groups of the same suit can move together.
How many suits should I choose?
Under “New Game”, the app offers 1 suit (Easy), 2 suits (Medium) or 4 suits (Hard). There are always 52 cards: with 1 suit, there are 4 runs of spades; with 2 suits, 2 runs of spades and 2 of hearts. The very first game after installation uses 1 suit.
Why does the app refuse to move my group?
A group can only move together if its cards are in consecutive descending order and all of the same suit. A single card, however, can be placed on any card one rank higher. If the “Interactive Rules” setting is enabled, the app displays a reminder of this rule.
What can I put in an empty column?
Any card or any group of the same suit, with no size limit. In the winning game in the examples, a group of 12 cards moves this way in a single move into the column that has just been emptied.
What is the game code for?
Each deal has a code, such as SS1-S1-AAAAABD. The digit after the S gives the number of suits. Pasting it into “Load a Game Using a Code” recreates exactly the same deal, with the same number of suits.
Can every deal be won?
Not necessarily, and the app does not tell you: it flags neither unsolvable deals nor blocked games. Since all cards are visible, you can plan everything before playing. The program that verified this site's examples did not find a solution for some deals, which does not prove they cannot be won.
How is the score calculated?
The game starts at 500 points. Each move subtracts 1 point and each run removed adds 100. A winning game therefore scores 500 minus the number of moves, plus 400: 851 points for the 49-move game in the examples.
Can you undo a move?
Yes, the app stores the last 100 actions. Undoing restores the point spent on the move; if that move removed a run, the run returns to the column and its 100 points are taken back.