Beer Mug Mahjong Solitaire

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About the Beer Mug Layout

The Beer Mug layout builds a tall, straight-sided tankard out of tiles, with a sturdy rounded handle looping off one side and, crowning the top, a frothy mound of foam that bulges generously over the rim. The body is a broad rectangular column, solid and a little stacked through the middle the way a full glass would look. The handle arcs out and back in a clean loop, leaving an open gap in its center, and the foam sits as a rumpled cap of tiles spilling over the lip. It is a cheerful, chunky shape that practically asks you to raise a toast.

Rated 2 out of 5, this is an easygoing, sociable sort of board. The foam on top and the outer face of the handle hand you free tiles right away, so the opening feels generous. The challenge, such as it is, lives in the body of the mug, where tiles overlap in layers to suggest a full glass. Clear the trimmings first and then drink your way down through the body, and you will rarely feel pinched.

Difficulty: Medium (2/5) | Tiles: 140

How to Clear the Beer Mug Layout

Skim the foam first. The frothy mound over the rim is the topmost layer, so those tiles cap everything beneath them. Clearing the foam early both gives you quick matches and uncovers the rim and the upper body of the mug, which is where the real volume of tiles begins.

Use the handle as a steady tap of free pairs. Because the loop encloses an open space, its tiles are exposed on the inner edge as well as the outer, making them some of the easiest on the board. Just take care not to clear away a handle tile that is the last cover over a body tile you will need.

The crux is the body. This straight-sided column is the deepest, most layered region, so plan to peel it from the top down and the outer edges in. Keep matches flowing into the body rather than hoarding pairs out on the handle, because a body tile left buried under several layers is the classic way these boards stall.

For the endgame, try to finish the foam and handle well before the body, leaving a clean rectangular core to drain last. If the final body tiles end up mutually blocked, Shuffle re-deals the remainder solvably, so reach for it rather than forcing a dead position.

The Story Behind the Beer Mug Layout

The beer stein, or tankard, has a long and genuinely social history: heavy glass or pewter mugs with a handle were built to be clinked, hoisted, and passed around a crowded table. The handle exists for a practical reason too, keeping a warm hand off a cold drink, which is why it is such a defining part of the silhouette and so satisfying to render as a looping arc of tiles.

And of course the foam is what makes a mug of beer look like a mug of beer rather than a glass of anything else. Capturing that overflowing head as a rumpled cap of tiles gives the board its personality and a clear top layer to work through, turning a simple drinking vessel into a board with a little froth and fun at the top.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I clear first on the Beer Mug layout?

The foam at the top. It is the highest layer, so removing it both scores quick matches and uncovers the rim and upper body, where most of the tiles are stacked.

Are the handle tiles easy to clear?

Yes. Because the handle loops around an open gap, its tiles are exposed on both the inner and outer edges, which makes them among the freest on the board. Just avoid clearing one that is the only cover over a body tile you still need.

Where does the Beer Mug board get tricky?

In the body of the mug. The straight-sided column is the most layered part, so the last tiles tend to hide there. Work it top down and from the outer edges inward to avoid burying a needed tile.

How difficult is this layout overall?

It is a gentle 2 out of 5. The foam and handle open easily and the only real planning is draining the body, which makes it a relaxed, friendly board.

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