Mahjong Solitaire
Match pairs of free tiles until the board is clear — the classic turtle and three more layouts, every deal winnable, with hints that know the way.
At a glance
- Remove the 144 tiles two at a time by matching free pairs — a tile is free when nothing lies on top of it and its left or right side is open. Any two flowers match, and so do any two seasons.
- Four layouts: the classic Turtle (144 tiles on five layers), Pyramid (120), Fortress (116) and Quick (72) for a short game.
- Every deal can be cleared. Boards are built by playing the game backwards; with random deals, an analysis of ten million turtles found about 3% can’t be cleared at all.
- Hints come from a solver, so they point to a pair on a winning line — and the game tells you when the board can no longer be cleared. Shuffle rearranges what’s left and keeps it winnable; undo has no limit.
- Tiles carry small Latin numbers and letters (E S W N for the winds), so you don’t need to read Chinese characters. Blocked tiles can be shaded to make free ones stand out.
- The computer game was created by Brodie Lockard in 1981 on the PLATO system. A daily game, shareable game numbers, stats and your saved game are all included — free, no sign-up.
Step by step
How to play mahjong solitaire
- 1
Find a free tile
A tile is free if no tile lies on top of it and it can slide out to the left or right — one side must be open.
- 2
Match a pair
Tap two free tiles that are the same to remove them. Any flower matches any flower, and any season matches any season.
- 3
Open up the board
Prefer pairs that free the most tiles: the top of the stacks and the long rows’ ends.
- 4
Use help when stuck
Press Hint for a pair that keeps the game winnable, Undo to step back, or Shuffle when no pairs are left.
- 5
Clear the board
Remove all the tiles to win.
Features
Everything you need, nothing you don’t
Always winnable
Each deal is built backwards from an empty board, so there is always a way to clear it.
Hints that know the way
A solver picks a pair that keeps the board winnable, and warns you when it no longer is.
Easy to read
Clear, crisp tiles with small index numbers, and shading on blocked tiles.
Four layouts
From the 144-tile turtle to a 72-tile quick game for a coffee break.
Shuffle and undo
Stuck? Shuffle the tiles that are left, or step back as far as you like.
Daily game and stats
Play the same board as everyone today, share a game by its number, and track your fastest clears.
The tiles
| Group | Tiles | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Dots (circles) | 1 to 9 | 4 of each — 36 |
| Bamboo | 1 to 9 (the 1 is a bird) | 4 of each — 36 |
| Characters | 1 to 9, Chinese numerals above 萬 | 4 of each — 36 |
| Winds | East 東, South 南, West 西, North 北 | 4 of each — 16 |
| Dragons | Red 中, Green 發, White (a blue frame) | 4 of each — 12 |
| Flowers | Plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo — any two match | 1 of each — 4 |
| Seasons | Spring, summer, autumn, winter — any two match | 1 of each — 4 |
Tips
- Work from the top and the ends. Tiles on top of stacks and at the ends of long rows hold the most other tiles in place.
- When three of a kind are free, think first. Removing the wrong two can leave the fourth stuck under its twin.
- Clear long rows from both ends so a single tile doesn’t end up blocking a whole row.
- Save the flowers and seasons — they match freely, so they’re handy when you need one more move.
- All four of a kind free? Take them. Removing a complete set can never hurt.
About mahjong solitaire
Mahjong solitaire uses the tiles of the four-player game mahjong, but it is a matching game for one. Brodie Lockard wrote the first computer version, *Mah-Jongg*, in 1981 on the PLATO system, and Activision’s *Shanghai* (1986) brought it to home computers. The classic starting arrangement is called the turtle.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you play mahjong solitaire?
Is every game winnable?
Which tiles match?
What if there are no moves left?
What does the hint do?
Can I play on my phone?
Keep going
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