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Dragon Mahjong – a long, winding layout

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Quick answer

Mahjong Solitaire is a free tile-matching solitaire puzzle that plays instantly in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with no download, sign-up or ads. Remove all tiles by matching identical free pairs; a tile is free when nothing covers it and its left or right side is open.

Mahjong Solitaire at a glance
What it isTile-matching solitaire puzzle
This pageDragon layout: 140 tiles in 5 layers, hard difficulty
GoalRemove all tiles by matching identical free pairs; a tile is free when nothing covers it and its left or right side is open
ModesSix layouts: Turtle, Dragon, Pyramid, Fortress, Butterfly and Fish (120-144 tiles); every deal is generated with a solution
ControlsTap or click two tiles; keyboard arrows and Enter; hint, undo and shuffle buttons
Players1
PriceFree, no ads, no sign-up, no download
Works onPhones, tablets and computers, in any modern browser

Mahjong layouts compared

Mahjong layouts compared
LayoutTilesLayersDifficulty
Turtle1445Medium
Dragon1405Hard
Pyramid1204Medium
Fortress1443Hard
Butterfly1284Easy
Fish1443Easy
Tiles
140
Layers
5
Difficulty
Hard

A ridge to take apart

The Dragon stretches across the whole board: a tail on one side, a horned head on the other and a spine that rises five layers high in the middle. Wings spread above and below the body, and waves of tiles ripple along its sides.

Because the body is long and narrow, the tiles along the spine block each other in chains. The game is about taking the ridge down evenly so you never leave a single tall tower whose bottom tile you need.

Strategy tips

  • Peak first. The single tile on top of the spine covers four others. Remove it early.
  • Use the head and tail. Both ends of the body open up quickly and give you free tiles on the lower layers.
  • Keep the wings in reserve. The wings are short rows with lots of free ends; they are your safety net when the spine runs out of pairs.
  • Watch the waves. The wave rows hug the body. Clearing them frees the body’s sides, but only when the spine above is already lower.

Built for every screen

The Dragon is wide, so on a portrait phone the board turns sideways automatically, keeping tiles large enough to tap comfortably without any sideways scrolling.

How to play Dragon Mahjong

  1. 1

    Find a free tile

    A tile is free when no tile lies on top of it and its left or right side is open.

  2. 2

    Pick a matching pair

    Tap two free tiles with the same picture. Any two flowers match each other, as do any two seasons.

  3. 3

    Clear the board

    Matched pairs disappear. Keep pairing until every tile is gone to win.

  4. 4

    Use the helpers

    Hint shows a playable pair, Undo takes back a move, and Shuffle re-deals the remaining tiles if you run out of moves.

Frequently asked questions

How many tiles are in the Dragon layout?

The Dragon uses 140 tiles over 5 layers, laid out as one long body from tail to head.

Why is the Dragon harder than other layouts?

Its spine is a long, tall ridge. Tiles low in the body stay covered until the ridge above them is gone, so there are fewer free tiles at any moment and choices matter more.

Where should I start in Dragon?

Clear the peak of the spine and the tail first, then work along the body from both ends. The wings are good sources of easy pairs when you need them.

Can a Dragon deal be impossible?

No. Every deal is generated with a known solution. If you get stuck, Shuffle re-deals the remaining tiles into another solvable arrangement.

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