Mahjong is the game to reach for when you want to think without being hurried. You clear a board of tiles by finding matching pairs, and there is no clock anywhere in it. Take a minute over a move if you like.
Which plan includes it
Mahjong is part of Essential. The three games free on every plan are Pattern Flow, Mini Sudoku, and Match & Go. During a trial, the whole library is open.
Where to find it
Go to Activities → Brain Games, and tap Mahjong.
How to play
Tap Play. The board of tiles appears.
Look for two tiles with the same face that are both free to take. A tile is free when it is not covered and has an open side.
Tap one, then tap its match. Both lift off the board.
Keep going until the board is clear. There is no timer, so pausing to look is part of the game rather than a cost.
What it trains
Visual scanning. Reading a busy board and finding what matches.
Planning ahead. Choosing which pair to take first so you do not strand a tile underneath.
Staying focused. Holding your place in a task that unfolds over several minutes.
How long a game takes
Five to fifteen minutes, depending on the board and how long you like to look. The difficulty adapts as you play.
A few small tips
Clear the top first. Tiles stacked on others are what block you later.
When you are stuck, start again at one corner and work across rather than scanning the whole board at once.
There is no penalty for taking your time. Nothing is counting.
It counts
Finishing a game contributes a few points to your ThriveScore, the same as any other brain game.
Brain games are not a treatment for memory loss or dementia. They are a pleasant way to stay curious, which is worth something on its own.