Mahjong Connect

Mahjong Connect is a fast tile-matching puzzle played on a flat grid of mahjong tiles. Unlike classic Mahjong Solitaire, nothing is stacked: every tile is in plain view, and what matters is whether two matching tiles can be linked by a line. Clear the whole board before the timer bar runs out and you move on to the next level. The game is also known as Shisen-sho or tile link.

How to play

• Tap a tile to pick it up (it turns gold), then tap an identical tile.
• The pair disappears if a line made of at most three straight parts, meaning no more than two turns, can join them. The line may only pass through empty squares, but it can run around the outside of the board along the empty border.
• When a pair goes, the line that joined them flashes across the board, so you can see the route it took.
• Two identical tiles with no clear route wiggle and stay where they are. Free up the way and try again.

Levels, time and sliding tiles

Every deal can be cleared: the board is built pair by pair so a full solution always exists, though playing pairs in the wrong order can still leave you without a move. Level 1 gives you plenty of time. Each level after that deals more kinds of tile and a little less time. From level 3 the tiles start to slide after every match: down, left, up or right, shown by the arrow next to the level number. Sliding closes gaps, which opens new routes and blocks old ones, so look again after every move.

Scoring

Each pair is worth 10 points. Match again within four seconds and you start a combo worth 5 more points per step, up to 60 points for a pair. Clearing a level adds 100 points per level number plus 2 points for every second left on the clock.

Hints and shuffles

Hint lights up a pair you can take, and it looks ahead to suggest one that keeps the board clearable. You get three free hints on every level. If no pair can be joined, the game says so and offers a shuffle: the tiles left stay on the same squares in a new order that can still be cleared. One shuffle per level is free. After that, and if time runs out, you can watch a short ad for an extra hint, shuffle or a minute on the clock.

Tips

• Start with tiles near the edge: the border is always empty, so outer tiles are the easiest to link.
• When a kind has four tiles, think about which two to take first, so the last two aren't left walled in.
• Keep a rhythm going. Quick matches build a combo, and the time you save becomes bonus points.