Christmas Stocking Mahjong Solitaire

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About the Christmas Stocking Layout

The Christmas Stocking is an L-shaped board: a tall vertical cuff and leg drop straight down, then bend forward at the bottom into a rounded toe and heel that stretch out sideways to form the foot. The cuff at the top is a chunky band of tiles, the leg is a slimmer column running below it, and the foot bulges back out into a thick, layered curve where the toe and heel pack tiles two and three deep. That elbow where the leg meets the foot is the busiest, most congested corner of the entire shape.

At 3 out of 5, the Stocking is a genuine step up from the lighter holiday boards. The L-bend creates a natural bottleneck, and the deep stacking in the foot means many tiles there stay buried until you have peeled back the layers above. It rewards players who think a move or two ahead and resist the urge to clear the easy leg tiles too greedily. Challenging without being punishing, it is a nicely balanced board for someone who wants the holiday theme with a bit more bite.

Difficulty: Hard (3/5) | Tiles: 132

How to Clear the Christmas Stocking Layout

Your most reliable free tiles sit along the top edge of the cuff and the outer curve of the toe and heel. Open with the cuff: it is a wide, accessible band at the top with no tiles resting above it, so it gives you a steady stream of easy matches while the rest of the stocking stays packed.

Resist clearing the slim leg all the way down too soon. The leg is tempting because its tiles are exposed, but emptying it early can strand you with a full, deeply stacked foot and very few free tiles to pair against. Keep some leg tiles in play as matching partners for the foot as you dig into it.

The crux is the elbow where the leg bends into the foot. Tiles there are layered and hemmed in on two sides by the turn of the L, so they are the last to open and the easiest to lock. Work the toe and heel inward from their rounded outer edges to chip away at the foot's depth, gradually relieving pressure on that corner rather than attacking it head-on.

The endgame almost always comes down to the toe and heel, the deepest part of the board. Bank a flower or season tile or two for this stage, since flowers match any flower and seasons match any season and can rescue a stuck final pair down in the foot. If the foot seals up completely, use Shuffle to re-deal the remaining tiles into a fresh solvable layout.

The Story Behind the Christmas Stocking Layout

Hanging a stocking by the fire comes from old tales of coins or small gifts left in a sock overnight, and over time the humble everyday stocking grew into the oversized, decorated holiday version we know, exaggerated precisely so it can hold more treats. That stretched, bulging foot is a storytelling shape as much as a clothing one, built to look generously full.

That same exaggeration is what makes the stocking such a good Mahjong board. The dramatic L-bend and the swollen toe give the layout a real sense of direction and weight, leading the eye from the open cuff down the leg and into the heavy foot. It is one of the few holiday shapes with a genuine bottleneck baked into its outline, which is what lifts it above the simpler symmetric boards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I start on the Christmas Stocking?

Begin with the wide cuff at the top. Nothing rests above it, so it offers a steady supply of easy matches while the leg and foot are still tightly packed.

Why is it risky to clear the leg early?

The leg's tiles are exposed and tempting, but emptying it too soon can leave you with a deeply stacked foot and almost no free tiles to match against. Keep some leg tiles as partners for the foot as you open it.

What makes the foot so hard to clear?

The toe and heel are layered two and three tiles deep and the elbow of the L hems them in on two sides, so they open last and lock easily. Work them inward from their rounded outer edges to reduce the depth gradually.

What is the best use of flower and season tiles here?

Save them for the foot. Because flowers match any flower and seasons match any season, they make ideal wildcards to free a stuck final pair in the deepest, most congested part of the stocking.

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