How Mahjong solitaire works
A tile-matching game played with Mahjong tiles. You do not need to know the real Mahjong game: you only match pairs.
- The board. 144 tiles are stacked in a pattern, some on top of others.
- Free tiles. You can only pick a tile with nothing on top of it and an open left or right side. Blocked tiles are shown darker.
- Matching. Pick a free tile, then a free tile that matches it. Both disappear.
- Flowers and seasons. Any flower goes with any flower, and any season with any season.
- Winning. Clear every tile. If no pair is free, use Shuffle, or Undo to go back.
The tiles
| Group | Tiles | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Dots, bamboo, characters | 1 to 9 in each suit, four of each | The same number in the same suit |
| Winds | East, south, west, north, four of each | The same wind |
| Dragons | Red, green, white, four of each | The same dragon |
| Flowers | Four different tiles | Any flower |
| Seasons | Four different tiles | Any season |
Tips for Mahjong solitaire
- Open the tall stacks. Tiles buried under several layers are the ones that get you stuck. Take pairs that uncover them first.
- Mind the ends. A tile at the end of a long row is free, and so is the row's next tile once it is gone. Work along a row from the end.
- Hold back a pair. Of four identical tiles, taking the two that are easy first can leave the other two both buried. Look before you pick.
- Use the hint. It points at the pair that frees the most tiles.
More games to try
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Mahjong solitaire?
Click a tile, then click a second tile that matches it. If both are free, they leave the board. Clear all 144 tiles to win. A tile is free when nothing lies on top of it and at least one of its short sides, left or right, is open.
Which tiles match?
Two identical tiles match: the same number in the same suit (dots, bamboo or characters), the same wind or the same dragon. Any flower matches any other flower, and any season matches any other season, even though the pictures differ.
Which tiles are free?
A tile is free when no tile is on top of it and you could slide it out to the left or to the right. Tiles hemmed in by neighbours on both sides, or covered by another tile, are shown darker and cannot be picked.
Can every game be won?
Yes. Each deal is built so that there is a way to clear it. You can still get stuck by taking tiles in the wrong order, which is what the Undo and Shuffle buttons are for.
What does Shuffle do?
It re-deals the faces of the tiles that are left, on the same positions. The new arrangement can always be cleared. Use it when no matching pair is free.
What are the layouts?
Turtle is the classic shape with five layers and 144 tiles. Pyramid is a wide, stepped mound. Rows is a flat two-layer board, the easiest of the three.
Is there a daily Mahjong board?
Yes. Press Daily for a board that is the same for everyone today, and sign in to put your time on the daily leaderboard.
What do the tiles show?
There are three suits of nine tiles (dots, bamboo and characters), four winds, three dragons, four flowers and four seasons. Four copies of every ordinary tile make 136 tiles, plus the 8 flowers and seasons.