What is a hint in Mahjong Solitaire?
The hint button is your friendly nudge. It does not play the game for you; it just points at a legal move so you can keep going when your eyes glaze over.
What a hint shows
Press Hint and the game highlights two free tiles that match, a pair you are allowed to remove this instant. It only ever shows one legal option at a time, so it is a nudge rather than a walkthrough. If there is at least one valid pair on the board, a hint will find it.
When to use it
Hints shine when you are sure a move exists but cannot see it, or when you are learning a new layout and want to keep the flow going. If a hint finds nothing, that is a strong sign you have hit a dead board and should shuffle or undo.
Hints and your score
Like Undo and Shuffle, hints are built-in tools, not cheating, as is Undo cheating explains. Some scoring modes deduct points for each hint you use, so a purist run means going without. Use them freely while learning, then wean off for a faster, cleaner time.
Related questions
Can you shuffle tiles in Mahjong Solitaire?
Yes. Shuffle takes the tiles still left on the board and rearranges them into a new pattern, which is a lifesaver when you hit a gridlock. It reopens matches so a stuck board does not have to end your game. On Mahjong.now the reshuffled board stays solvable.
Is using Undo cheating?
No. Undo, along with hints and shuffle, is a built-in learning tool, not cheating. It lets you rewind a wrong move and explore a better path. If you want a pure test of skill you can play without it, but there is nothing wrong with using it to learn.
What happens when you run out of moves?
If no two free tiles match, you are stuck, and tiles are still on the board, which we call a dead board. Since every Mahjong.now layout is solvable, being stuck means an earlier choice went wrong. You can Undo to rewind, or Shuffle to rearrange the leftover tiles and reopen a path.
How do you win at Mahjong Solitaire?
You win by removing all 144 tiles, every last pair. The way to do it consistently is to open the tallest, most-covered stacks first, uncover buried tiles as early as you can, and think one or two pairs ahead so you never trap a tile you still need.