Wild West Mahjong

Barrels, revolvers and sheriff badges take the place of bamboo and circles in Wild West Mahjong. The set is thematic rather than traditional, so the first job on a new board is working out which two silhouettes you are most likely to confuse.

Underneath the saloon dressing the rules are the standard solitaire ones. A tile can be taken when nothing sits on top of it and at least one side is open, and the level ends when the last pair comes off. The list this board belongs to also carries Musical.

Thirty levels run in sequence, each with its own arrangement and a timer to clear it in. A hint and a shuffle are available when a board stops offering pairs, though clearing quickly is what the scoring actually rewards. The plain answer for new players answers the questions this board raises.

The HTML5 build takes a mouse or a tap and works on desktop and mobile alike. Full screen is the better setting for the busier of the thirty boards, where thematic tiles crowd together and small differences decide the pair. Another entry from the same shelf is the Farm board.

1. Find two matching western tiles that are free to take.
2. A tile is free when nothing covers it and one side stays open.
3. Remove pairs until the board is clear.
4. Beat the level timer to move on to the next of the thirty boards.

• Sort the silhouettes early — Wild West Mahjong uses props rather than suits, and several of them read alike at a glance.
• Clear quickly for score — speed is what the scoring rewards across these thirty boards.
• Save the hint for a locked layout — using it early costs you more than the seconds it saves.
• Peel the top storey — covered tiles cannot be taken, however obvious the match looks.
• Switch to full screen — crowded boards separate much better when the tiles are not shrunk down.