How to Play Mahjong Connect
Mahjong Connect, also called Shisen Sho, is a flat tile game. All the tiles sit in one layer, and you match pairs that can be joined by a clear path.
The path is the whole game: it can turn at most twice, and it cannot pass through any tile still on the board.
Play Mahjong ConnectHow to play
- Click two identical tiles to connect them.
- The path between them travels horizontally and vertically only, never diagonally.
- It may turn at most twice, so it can be a straight line, an L shape or a Z shape.
- It cannot cross any remaining tile, though it can run outside the edge of the board.
- Clear every tile to win.
Tips
Work the outside in. Tiles on the border have the open space around them that makes paths easy, and clearing them opens lanes into the middle.
Watch for pairs trapped in the centre. If two tiles are buried behind others with no route out, deal with the tiles blocking them before taking easier matches elsewhere.
When several copies of a tile are on the board, match the pair whose removal opens the most lanes rather than the first one you see.
Frequently asked questions
What is the path rule in Mahjong Connect?
Two matching tiles can be removed if a clear line joins them that turns no more than twice and crosses no other tile.
Can the path go outside the board?
Yes. Routes around the outside edge are legal and are often the only way to connect a far apart pair.
Is Mahjong Connect the same as Mahjong Solitaire?
No. Solitaire is stacked in layers and asks whether a tile is free. Connect is flat and asks whether a path exists.