Mahjong Solitaire All layouts Butterfly Mahjong
Butterfly Mahjong
Butterfly Mahjong spreads the 144 tiles into two wide wings either side of a slim body. It is only three layers deep, and 68 tiles are free when you start, almost twice as many as the Turtle. That makes it the best layout to learn on, and the easiest board on the site.
The rules are the same as every other layout. Click two free tiles with the same picture to remove them. A tile is free when nothing is on top of it and its left or right side is open.
How the layout is built
- The wings. Two mirrored shapes of 42 tiles each, six tiles wide at the widest point and narrower at the tips.
- The body. Two columns of eight tiles down the middle, with a one-tile gap between the body and each wing.
- The second layer. A block of sixteen tiles on each wing and eight on the body.
- The top. Two tiles on each wing, free from the first move.
How to play it well
The gaps beside the body are what make this board gentle. No row is longer than six tiles, so even the tiles in the middle of a row come free quickly.
- Clear the raised blocks from the top down. They cover the most tiles on each wing.
- Work the wings and the body together. Partners for a wing tile are often on the other wing or in the body.
- Save the wing tips. The outer columns stay free all game. Keep them for the end, when you need a spare move.
Is it easier than the Turtle?
Yes, by a long way. In our tests a player following the Hint button cleared Butterfly in about 85% of games, against about 50% for the Turtle. If you get stuck on the Turtle a lot, try a few rounds here. When it starts to feel easy, move on to Pyramid.
Butterfly layout at a glance
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Tiles
- 144 (72 pairs)
- Layers
- 3
- Board size
- 16 tiles wide, 8 rows deep
- Free at the start
- 68 tiles
- Cleared in our tests
- About 85%
The Butterfly layout stacks its 144 tiles in three layers: 100 on the table, 40 on layer 2, 4 on top.
How we rate difficulty. We had the computer play 200 games on each layout, picking moves the same way our Hint button does. On Butterfly it cleared the board without a shuffle in about 85% of games. That is easier than the classic Turtle, which comes in at about 50%. People who plan ahead do better than that, but the order of the layouts stays much the same. The full list is on the all layouts page.
More easy layouts and favourites
Every layout uses the same 144 tiles and the same rules. The shape is what changes, and the shape decides how hard the game is.
Turtle MahjongClassic The classic 144-tile board. Five layers, a long tail at each end. 
Garden MahjongEasy Four small courtyards that never block each other. Quick and calm. 
Arena MahjongEasy An oval ring of seating around an empty floor. 
Spider MahjongEasy A tall body with eight thin legs spread wide. 
Tower MahjongEasy Narrow and tall, five tiles high at the top. 
Pyramid MahjongMedium Four tiers stacked into a solid block. Peel it from the edges. See all 24 layouts, sorted by difficulty
Questions people ask
Is Butterfly Mahjong good for beginners?
Yes. It is the easiest layout on the site. It is only three layers deep, its rows are short, and 68 tiles are free at the start.
How many tiles does Butterfly Mahjong use?
The standard 144, the same set as every other layout here, which makes 72 pairs.
Why is Butterfly Mahjong so easy?
A one-tile gap separates each wing from the body, so no row is longer than six tiles. Short rows free up quickly, so you rarely run out of moves.
Is Butterfly Mahjong free?
Yes. It is free in your browser with no download or account.