Turtle Mahjong
The famous Turtle (sometimes called the Dragon) is the classic Mahjong Solitaire layout: all 144 tiles stacked in five layers.
The shape of the Turtle
The bottom layer is a wide shell of 87 tiles in eight rows, with a single tile sticking out on the left like a head and two tiles on the right like a tail. On top sit a 6×6 layer of 36 tiles, a 4×4 layer of 16, a 2×2 layer of 4, and a single tile at the very top that covers the middle of the board.
Strategy for the Turtle
- Open the ends early. The lone tile on the left and the two tiles on the right block the long middle rows. Freeing them gives you more choices.
- Work down the stack. The top tile and the small upper layers cover many tiles. Clearing them early opens up the board.
- Think twice with three free twins. When three identical tiles are free, pick the pair that unblocks more tiles, and keep the fourth in mind.
- Use 👁 Free tiles to see at a glance which tiles you can play.
More tips in our Mahjong Solitaire rules and tips.
Always solvable
Every Turtle deal here is built so that it can be cleared, and if you get stuck the 🔀 Shuffle is free and keeps the game solvable. Want a quicker game? Try the smaller layouts in easy Mahjong.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles are in the Turtle layout?
144 tiles in five layers, the complete mahjong set.
Can I play the Turtle on a phone?
Yes. On small screens use the 🔍 Zoom button to make the tiles bigger and scroll around the board, or turn the phone sideways.
Is every Turtle game winnable?
Yes. Every deal is generated to be solvable, and shuffles keep it solvable.