Garden Mahjong

Garden Mahjong splits the 144 tiles into four small courtyards with space between them. Each courtyard is a low stepped block, and because they stand apart, the outer edge of every courtyard is always free.

About 64 tiles can be played the moment the board is dealt. That is the most of any layout here. This is the one to play when you want a calm game that is over in a few minutes.

How the layout is built

Every courtyard is the same: a base of 24 tiles, a second layer of 8, and 4 on top. That is 36 tiles each, and four courtyards make 144. Two sit on the left and two on the right.

How to play it well

Because the courtyards don’t touch, the game is really four small puzzles that share one set of tiles. The only way to get stuck is when all the copies of one tile are buried inside the same courtyard.

• Work on all four at once. Don’t finish one courtyard before starting the others. You want partners available everywhere.
• Take the tops first. The 16 top tiles are free from the start and each one frees the tiles below it.
• Use it to learn. If you are new to the game, a few rounds here will teach you the free tile rule. Then try Butterfly and the classic Turtle.

Why it is really easier

Some sites call a board “easy” when they have simply turned the timer off. Garden is easier because of its shape: fewer layers, more free tiles, and no long rows that pin tiles from the sides.