How to Win at Mahjong Solitaire: Free Tiles and Smart Pairs
Mahjong Solitaire looks like a matching game, but it is really a puzzle about order: which pair you take decides which tiles open up next. Every deal can be solved, yet careless matches can still trap the last tiles under each other. This guide explains how to read free tiles, which stacks to open first, how to handle three or four copies of a tile, and how to score more with combos and the time bonus.
Mahjong SolitairePlay Mahjong Solitaire ›
Know which tiles are free
A tile can only be picked when nothing lies on top of it and its left or right side is open. Tiles in the middle of a row, or under another tile, are blocked even if you can see them. Turn on Highlight free tiles while you learn: blocked tiles are shaded so the playable ones stand out.
Most tiles match only an identical tile, but any two flowers match each other and any two seasons match each other. They are worth 20 points instead of 10.
Open the tall stacks and long rows first
Tiles buried in high stacks and in the middle of long rows are the ones that block you at the end. When you can choose, take the pair that frees a tile underneath or opens the end of a long row, rather than a pair at the edge that frees nothing.
Each layout has its own key spots. On the Turtle, work down the five-level centre stack early and clear the single tiles at the ends of the middle row, which lock whole rows. On the small Garden, the top of the centre stack is the tile to aim for.
Count the copies before you match
Each tile has four copies. When all four are free, take both pairs. When three are free, think about which two to take: remove the ones that are blocking other tiles and leave the one that is not in anyone’s way.
Be careful when two copies of a tile sit in the same stack, one above the other. The lower one can only be matched with another copy, so make sure a free partner is still available when you uncover it.
Score more with combos and speed
Each pair gives 10 points, or 20 for flowers and seasons. Matches made within a few seconds of each other build a combo that adds up to 20 extra points per pair, so spot your next pair before you take the current one.
Clearing the board adds a bonus of 250 plus a time bonus that is bigger on larger layouts and shrinks every second, so a quick finish on the 144-tile Turtle is worth the most. A hint costs 15 points and a shuffle 40. Undo returns the score to what it was before the move, but it breaks your combo.
Get unstuck and earn the achievements
When no pair is left, the game tells you. Undo a few moves to try a different pair, or Shuffle the remaining tiles: the board stays solvable, but it costs points. Hint shows one available pair when you simply cannot find it.
Start with Garden (60 tiles), then Pyramid (84), Butterfly (106), Fortress (114) and the classic Turtle (144). Match 20 pairs in one game for Tile spotter, clear any layout for Clean sweep, and clear the Turtle without a hint, shuffle or undo for Turtle master.
Questions
- Can every game be won?
- Yes. Every deal is built so that at least one solution exists. Your choices can still lead to a dead end, which is what Undo and Shuffle are for.
- Do flowers and seasons match each other?
- Any flower matches any other flower, and any season matches any other season, but a flower does not match a season.
- Which layout gives the highest score?
- The Turtle. It has the most pairs and the biggest time bonus, so a fast clear with long combos and no help scores the most.
Mahjong SolitairePlay Mahjong Solitaire ›