Mahjong Solitaire
Match pairs of free tiles to clear the turtle.
About Mahjong Solitaire
Mahjong Solitaire is a tile-matching puzzle played with the tiles of the Chinese game of mahjong, stacked in the famous turtle shape. Every layout here is built so it can be cleared completely — the trick is choosing which pairs to take first.
How to play
Remove all 144 tiles in matching pairs. A tile can be taken only when it's free: nothing lies on top of it and its left or right side is open. Tiles match when their faces are the same; any two flowers match, and any two seasons match. Use hints when you're stuck, and undo if you run out of moves. Stuck? Shuffle deals the remaining tiles again so they can still be cleared; each shuffle adds 30 seconds. You get 2 shuffles per game.
Tips and strategies
- Free the long rows early by working from their ends.
- Take tiles from the tall centre stack and the edge tiles as soon as you can; they block the most.
- When three of a kind are free, think before matching — the fourth tile may be buried under one of them.
Mahjong Solitaire strategy guide
Work from the top and the long ends of rows. Tiles on the highest layer and at the far ends block the most others, so removing them opens the board fastest.
When three or four matching tiles are free, think before you pick. Take the pair that frees other tiles, and when all four of a kind are free, clear them as two pairs right away — they can never block you later.
Watch out for stacked twins. If the last two copies of a tile lie one on top of the other, the lower one can never be freed; plan ahead so that matching tiles in the same stack are taken with partners from elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can every Mahjong Solitaire game be cleared?
Yes. Each deal is built by placing pairs in reverse removal order, so there is always a way to remove all 144 tiles. If you get stuck, an earlier choice blocked you — undo and try another pair. Stuck? Shuffle deals the remaining tiles again so they can still be cleared; each shuffle adds 30 seconds. You get 2 shuffles per game.
Which tiles can I remove?
A tile is free when no tile lies on top of it and its left or right side is open. Pick two free tiles with the same face; any two flowers match each other, and so do any two seasons.
Does using a hint affect my result?
Each hint highlights a matching pair of free tiles, uses one of your hints (3 free every day) and adds 30 seconds to your time. Your result still counts on the leaderboards.
Can I play Mahjong Solitaire on my phone?
Yes, right in your phone's browser, with no app to install. Tap Landscape to turn the table sideways with bigger tiles, or Full screen to hide the browser bars.
Is Mahjong Solitaire free to play?
Yes. Every game on Puzzimo is completely free and runs in your browser on desktop, tablet and phone — no download or installation.
Do I need an account?
No. You can play instantly as a guest and still appear on the leaderboards. Sign in with Google, Discord or LINE to keep your scores on every device.
How does the daily Mahjong Solitaire challenge work?
Every day at 00:00 UTC everyone gets the same new puzzle. Only your first finish of the day counts on the leaderboard.
How are leaderboard results verified?
Our servers replay every move of your game and measure the time themselves, so leaderboard results can't be faked.