The goal: clear every tile.
Each turn, choose two matching tiles that are both free. They leave the board together. Keep going until no tiles remain. Every deal in Mahjong Dawn is built so that it can be cleared, so a board is never impossible from the start.
The order still matters. Matching the wrong pair early can leave tiles stuck under or beside each other later, so most of the game is choosing which pair to take next.
What makes a tile free.
A tile can be matched only when it is free. Picture sliding it out of the layout: it must not be pinned from above or squeezed from both sides.
- No other tile rests on top of it, even partly.
- Its left side or its right side is open. One open side is enough.
- Neighbours in the rows above and below do not block it. Only the tiles directly to its left and right count.
Which tiles match.
In the full set, most faces appear four times, and any two copies of the same face match. A 5 of Dots matches another 5 of Dots, never a 5 of Bamboo. Smaller layouts may use only two copies of some faces.
Flowers and seasons are the exception. There is one of each, and any flower matches any other flower, while any season matches any other season. The small number or letter in the corner of a tile helps you read it: 1 to 9 for the three suits and E, S, W or N for the winds.
Controls.
Tap or click a free tile to select it, then tap its match. If the two tiles match, they are removed. Choosing a tile that does not match moves your selection to it. A blocked tile gives a gentle shake.
On a keyboard, use the arrow keys to move between tiles and Enter or Space to select. Press H for a hint, Ctrl or Cmd plus Z to undo, S to shuffle, F for Focus mode and P to pause.
Settings, in the game’s toolbar, offers Large print tiles, corner labels, dimmed blocked tiles, soft sounds and a timer you can hide. Focus mode hides everything but the game.
Help when you are stuck.
Hint highlights a good pair and says why it helps. Whenever it can check, it suggests a pair that keeps the board winnable. Undo takes back as many moves as you like, and Shuffle rearranges the remaining tiles into a new arrangement that can still be cleared.
Mahjong Dawn also watches for dead ends. If your board can no longer be cleared, even while some matches remain, it tells you and offers to rewind to your last winnable position. It warns only when it has proved the board is lost, so a quiet board is never a false alarm. If you would rather find out for yourself, turn the dead-end warning off in Settings.