Mahjong Solitaire Layouts: Turtle & More
A guide to Mahjong Solitaire layouts: the classic 144-tile Turtle, pyramids, fortresses, and bridges — what makes each hard and how to play them.
A layout is the shape tiles are stacked into before play begins. The rules never change between layouts — match free pairs until the board is empty — but the shape decides which tiles are locked, how many layers you must dig through, and how much planning a board demands.
The Turtle: the classic layout
The Turtle is the layout most people picture when they think of Mahjong Solitaire. It uses all 144 tiles in five layers:
- Layer 1: 87 tiles — a wide base with rows of different lengths and three extra tiles at the ends that form the head and tail.
- Layer 2: 36 tiles in a 6×6 block.
- Layer 3: 16 tiles in a 4×4 block.
- Layer 4: 4 tiles in a 2×2 block.
- Layer 5: a single capstone on top.
The Turtle rewards opening the long base rows early. The single tiles at either end lock whole rows, so freeing them often unlocks many tiles at once. Some apps call it Dragon; older Shanghai editions simply called it the standard layout. See Shanghai Solitaire explained for the naming history.
Common layout families
Pyramids
Square or rectangular stacks that rise to a peak. The center is buried deep, so the game is about peeling the outer edges evenly.
Fortresses and castles
Tall towers at the corners connected by low walls. Towers hide tiles you will need late, so watch which faces disappear into them.
Bridges and long rows
Wide, shallow layouts with few layers. Locking comes mostly from row neighbors instead of stacks, which makes them a good choice for beginners.
Animal and object shapes
Cats, crabs, butterflies, flowers, and spiders. These are mostly decorative variations, but irregular edges create many short rows, so they often feel more forgiving than the Turtle.
What makes a layout hard
- Depth: more layers means more hidden tiles and fewer safe choices.
- Long rows: only the ends are free, so long rows resist opening.
- Single key tiles: one tile that locks a whole row or tower creates pressure to find its match early.
- Tile count: smaller boards finish quickly and leave less room for mistakes to compound.
Layouts on mobile
The classic Turtle is wide and was designed for landscape screens. On a phone held upright, tiles shrink to fit. Mobile-first games usually use taller, narrower shapes and fewer tiles per level so faces stay readable and taps stay accurate.
ZenCraft Mahjong Solitaire is built for portrait play with a campaign of authored layouts that grow in size and depth as you progress, from gentle starter boards to deep multi-layer stacks.
Strategy by layout
- Wide layouts: open row ends first to multiply free tiles.
- Tall layouts: clear tops early so hidden faces come into view.
- Tower layouts: track which faces are still buried before spending their visible copies.
For deeper planning habits, read Mahjong Solitaire strategy and tips.