Mahjong Christmas

A full set of 144 stones, every one of them wrapped in Christmas: baubles, candles, wreaths, gingerbread. CMC Online s.r.o. built the field around a carol that loops behind the play, closer to background music than to a game soundtrack, and the whole thing is pitched at the calm end of the seasonal shelf. The Dream Pet Link board stands next to this one in the same list.

The field is stacked in tiers, so most of what you see at the start is a top layer resting on blocks you cannot reach yet. Identical stones come off in pairs, and each pair removed drops the tier below into play. A countdown runs on each level, which is the only pressure applied — the layouts themselves are generous, and the difficulty is in finding the pair before the clock does. The Firefly pile belongs to the same easy-going list.

This one leans harder on memory than its neighbours on the shelf, because you spend the last third of a level recalling where the twin of an uncovered stone sat three moves ago. Full screen makes that easier, since 144 ornate stones at window size begin to blur into one another. Desktop and phone both work. The Easter Triple pile keeps the pace of this one.

1. Scan the top tier for two identical festive stones that are free to lift.
2. Select the pair to remove it and expose the blocks underneath.
3. Work downward through the tiers, since a lower level cannot be matched until it is uncovered.
4. Clear all 144 stones from the field before the level countdown reaches zero.

• Uncover before you clear — a pair on the top tier that frees two lower stones is worth more than a pair on the flat edge.
• Note the twins you cannot reach — remembering where a buried match sits pays off the moment its cover is gone.
• Keep an eye on the countdown — the levels are winnable, but not while you deliberate over a single stone.
• Decide about the carol early — the looping music is pleasant for two levels and a distraction by the fifth.
• Use full screen — festive stones are more ornate than plain suits and need the extra pixels to stay distinct.