Mahjong Solitaire
Match free tiles and clear the board — the classic Chinese tile puzzle game
Mahjong Solitaire is one of the most beloved single-player puzzle games in the world, combining the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong with a solitaire matching mechanic that has captivated players for decades. Unlike the multiplayer version of Mahjong played across Asia, Mahjong Solitaire (also called Shanghai Solitaire or Taipei) is a solo tile-matching puzzle where your goal is to remove all 144 tiles from a stacked layout by matching identical pairs. The game rose to mainstream popularity in the 1980s when Brodie Lockard created the computerized version known as Shanghai, which was distributed widely and inspired countless variants. Today, Mahjong Solitaire is one of the most-played browser games in the world, with hundreds of millions of plays per month across dedicated gaming sites. Its blend of pattern recognition, strategic thinking, and relaxing pace makes it uniquely appealing to players of all ages and skill levels. The heart of the game lies in its 144-tile set, drawn from the traditional Mahjong game. The tiles are organized into seven distinct groups. The three suit groups — Circles (also called Dots), Bamboo (Sticks), and Characters (Wan) — each contain nine unique tiles numbered 1 through 9, with four copies of each tile, totaling 36 tiles per suit. The Wind tiles represent the four cardinal directions — East, South, West, and North — with four copies each for 16 tiles total. The Dragon tiles come in three varieties — Red (Chun), Green (Fa), and White (Haku) — again with four copies each for 12 tiles. Finally, the Flower and Season tiles add a special twist: there are four unique Flower tiles (Plum Blossom, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo Flower) and four unique Season tiles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter), with only one copy of each. The matching rules are straightforward but form the strategic core of the game. Two tiles can be removed only when both are 'free' — meaning neither tile is covered by any tile in a higher layer, and at least one of its horizontal sides (left or right) is completely unblocked by another tile on the same layer. This free-tile constraint is what makes Mahjong Solitaire a strategy game rather than a simple memory puzzle: you must think carefully about which matches to make, because removing certain tiles can block or unblock others in unpredictable ways. For most tile types, matching requires an exact identical pair: a Circle 5 matches only another Circle 5, a West Wind tile matches only another West Wind tile, a Red Dragon matches only another Red Dragon. The Flower and Season groups are special exceptions — any two Flower tiles match each other regardless of which specific flower they depict, and any two Season tiles match each other regardless of which season. This special matching rule makes these eight bonus tiles slightly easier to clear and typically awards extra points in scoring systems. The classic Turtle layout is the most iconic Mahjong Solitaire arrangement. It features tiles stacked in up to six layers, forming the shape of a turtle shell when viewed from above, with a tail extending from one end and a head at the other. The layered structure means that tiles on higher layers block the tiles beneath them, and the strategic challenge is to work from the outside and top layers inward without accidentally isolating tiles that can no longer be matched. Modern implementations typically include several helpful features to make the game more accessible without removing the strategic depth. The hint system highlights a valid matching pair, helping players spot moves they might have missed — particularly useful when the board becomes complex in the middle game. Unlimited undo allows players to reverse their last match and try a different approach, which is essential for learning and exploration without the frustration of starting over. The shuffle feature redistributes the remaining tile types across existing positions when no valid moves remain, letting the game continue rather than forcing a restart. Strategy in Mahjong Solitaire involves several key principles. Working from the top layers down is generally the most important guideline, since tiles on higher layers are blocking multiple tiles below them, and clearing them first opens the most options. Prioritizing pairs that expose blocked tiles over pairs that expose already-free tiles multiplies your available moves. Being cautious with lone tiles — tiles where only one of the four copies is accessible — is crucial, since removing a pair that includes the only accessible copy of a type can isolate the remaining copies permanently. The Flower and Season tiles, with only one copy each, require special attention since any Flower or Season tile you see is potentially matchable with any other visible Flower or Season tile. This implementation features the classic Turtle layout along with multiple alternative layouts including Shanghai, Dragon, Pyramid, Butterfly, and more. A daily challenge mode deals the same puzzle to all players on a given day. Statistics tracking records your wins, best times, win streaks, and scores across sessions. The scoring system awards points based on tile rarity, with Flower and Season pairs worth the most and standard suit pairs worth the base amount. The pair counter shows how many valid matches currently exist on the board, giving you a live measure of how open or constrained your options are.
Understanding Mahjong Solitaire
What Is Mahjong Solitaire?
Mahjong Solitaire is a single-player puzzle game played with a set of 144 tiles arranged in a stacked layout. Unlike the traditional multiplayer Mahjong game, this version requires you to remove all tiles by matching identical free pairs. A tile is 'free' if nothing covers it from above and at least one of its horizontal sides is open. The game was popularized by the 1986 computer game Shanghai and is now one of the most played browser games worldwide.
How Do the Rules Work?
Tiles are arranged in multiple layers forming a 3D stack. To remove tiles, you must click two matching free tiles. A tile is free when: (1) no other tile sits on top of it at a higher layer, AND (2) it has no neighbor tile immediately to its left OR no neighbor immediately to its right on the same layer. Both conditions must be true simultaneously. Most tiles must be exact matches; Flowers match any other Flower, and Seasons match any other Season. The game ends when all 144 tiles are removed (win) or no valid pairs of free tiles remain (stuck).
Strategy and Tips
Effective Mahjong Solitaire strategy focuses on maintaining options. Always try to work from the top layers down — higher tiles block many tiles below them. When choosing between multiple valid moves, prioritize pairs that will expose previously blocked tiles over pairs that expose already-free tiles. Be very careful with tiles where only one copy is currently accessible — removing a pair that uses your only accessible copy of a type can permanently strand the remaining copies. Watch the pair counter: when it drops to zero or one, be extra cautious. Use the hint and undo features freely — they are unlimited and help you learn which moves open the most options.
Layouts, Solvability, and Scoring
Not all Mahjong Solitaire deals are guaranteed to be winnable — the arrangement of tile types across positions can sometimes make certain tiles permanently inaccessible before they can be matched. Simpler flat layouts like Pyramid are winnable more often (around 70%+), while complex layered layouts like the Turtle are harder to complete without careful play. The scoring system awards points by tile rarity: standard suit tiles (Circles, Characters) earn base points, Bamboo and Winds earn more, Dragons earn higher amounts, and Flower and Season pairs earn the highest bonuses. Faster completion and consecutive matches without using hints add time and streak bonuses.
How to Play Mahjong Solitaire
Choose a Layout and Start
Select a board layout from the Layout menu — Turtle is the classic choice, while Pyramid and Butterfly are easier for beginners. Each layout arranges 144 tiles in a unique pattern across multiple layers. Click New Game to deal a fresh board, or Daily to play today's shared daily challenge. The deal number is shown above the board so you can share specific puzzles.
Find and Click Free Tile Pairs
Click any tile to select it (it will highlight with a glowing border). Then click a matching free tile to remove both. A tile is 'free' when nothing sits on top of it AND at least one of its left or right sides is unblocked. Free tiles appear brighter; locked tiles appear slightly dimmed. Most tiles must be exact matches — Circle 3 matches only another Circle 3. Flower tiles match any other Flower, and Season tiles match any other Season.
Use Hints, Undo, and Shuffle
Press H or click Hint to highlight a valid matching pair in gold. Press U or Ctrl+Z (or click Undo) to reverse your last match and restore both tiles. Undo is unlimited and has no penalty. If you run out of moves, click Shuffle to randomly reassign tile types across remaining positions — this always ensures at least one valid pair exists after shuffling. The pair counter in the status bar shows how many valid matches currently exist.
Win by Clearing the Board
Remove all 144 tiles to win. Your score is based on tile rarity: standard suit tiles (Circles, Characters) earn base points, Bamboo and Winds earn more, Dragons earn higher bonuses, and Flower/Season pairs earn the highest points. A win celebration appears with your time, score, pairs matched, hints used, and shuffles used. Statistics are saved automatically to track your progress over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tile 'free' in Mahjong Solitaire?
A tile is free — and therefore selectable — when two conditions are both true simultaneously. First, no other tile must be sitting on top of it at a higher layer, even partial overlap counts as blocked. Second, the tile must have at least one open horizontal side — meaning no tile immediately to its left OR no tile immediately to its right on the same layer. A tile that is uncovered from above but blocked on both sides (a neighbor directly left AND a neighbor directly right) is still locked and cannot be selected. This is the core rule that makes Mahjong Solitaire a strategic game rather than a simple memory puzzle, because every match you make can open or block tiles elsewhere on the board.
How do Flower and Season tiles work?
Flower and Season tiles are bonus tiles with a special matching rule: any Flower tile matches any other Flower tile, and any Season tile matches any other Season tile, regardless of which specific flower or season they depict. There are four unique Flower tiles (Plum Blossom, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, and Bamboo Flower) and four unique Season tiles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter), with only one copy of each in the deck. This means whenever you see two Flower tiles that are both free, you can always match them — same for Seasons. In most scoring systems, Flower and Season matches award the highest point values because they are rarer and their successful matching is guaranteed when both are accessible.
Is every Mahjong Solitaire game winnable?
No — not every deal is guaranteed to be winnable. Unlike simpler puzzles, Mahjong Solitaire can produce arrangements where certain tiles become permanently inaccessible before they can be matched. Simpler flat layouts like Pyramid are winnable more often, while complex deeply-layered layouts like the Turtle can result in stuck positions even with optimal play. The shuffle feature helps recover from impossible positions by redistributing tile types across remaining positions while guaranteeing at least one valid pair after shuffling. If you encounter a board where no moves remain, you can shuffle to continue or start a new game for a fresh deal.
How does the hint system work?
Press H or click the Hint button to highlight one valid matching pair on the board. Both tiles in the pair will glow in a distinct highlight color for a few seconds. Pressing Hint again while tiles are highlighted will cycle to a different valid pair. The hint system selects the pair that opens the most subsequent free tiles — a greedy lookahead approach that gives you useful hints rather than just any random valid pair. Hints are unlimited and have no score penalty. If there are no valid pairs remaining, the hint button will trigger the no-moves notification instead, prompting you to shuffle or start a new game.
What is the Daily Challenge?
The Daily Challenge deals the same puzzle to every player on a given calendar day. The deal is generated using a date-based seed (YYYYMMDD as a number), which produces a consistent tile arrangement that everyone playing on that day will see. Click the Daily button to switch to today's daily challenge. Your daily challenge statistics — including whether you solved it and how long it took — are tracked separately from your regular game statistics. The daily challenge is a great way to compare your performance with others, since everyone is solving the exact same puzzle on any given day.
What strategy helps most in Mahjong Solitaire?
The most important strategic principle is to work from the top layers downward. Tiles on higher layers are blocking multiple tiles below them, so clearing them first multiplies your available options. When choosing between multiple valid moves, prefer pairs that expose previously blocked tiles over pairs that expose tiles already free. Pay close attention to tiles with only one accessible copy — if you match away a pair that uses your only accessible copy of a particular type, the remaining copies of that type may become permanently stranded and unwinnable. Use the pair counter to monitor how constrained your board is, and use undo freely when you realize a move was a mistake. The Undo feature is unlimited, so treat it as a learning tool to explore alternate lines of play.