Saw Mahjong Solitaire
About the Saw Layout
The Saw layout is exactly what its name promises: a stout handle clustered at one end opens into a long triangular blade that tapers away across the board, its lower edge serrated with a row of small, jagged teeth. The handle is the thickest part of the figure, a knot of stacked tiles, while the blade thins steadily toward its point. The teeth themselves are little nubs of one or two tiles each, hanging below the main spine of the blade like a fringe. The whole thing reads instantly as a hand tool, lying flat as if set down on a workbench.
This is a friendly 2-out-of-5 board, well suited to a relaxed afternoon. The blade is mostly a single sweeping edge, so a lot of tiles sit open from the start and matches come quickly in the early going. The slight catch is the handle, where the tiles bunch up and overlap, and you will spend the back half of the game patiently unstacking that cluster. Nothing here is cruel, but the layout rewards a little forethought so the handle does not strangle you at the end.
Difficulty: Medium (2/5) | Tiles: 52
How to Clear the Saw Layout
Start along the teeth and the blade's lower edge. Each tooth is a tiny outcropping with both ends exposed, so those are among the freest tiles on the board. Clearing the teeth early both scores easy matches and lifts the cover off the bottom row of the blade, which opens up the long spine behind them.
Work the point of the blade toward the handle. The thin end of the triangle has very little stacking, so it peels away fast; the handle is where the depth lives. Treat the blade as your supply of easy pairs and use it to buy moves, but keep glancing back at the handle so you know which of its tiles are still buried.
The crux is the handle cluster. Because it is the densest knot on the board, a tile you need for a late match is often pinned under two or three others here. Whenever a handle tile becomes free, ask whether clearing it unlocks something below before you spend it elsewhere. Do not blindly clear both halves of an easy pair out on the blade if one of them is the only key to a stacked handle tile.
For the endgame, aim to finish with the blade already gone and only the handle remaining, then dismantle it top down. If you reach a point where the last handle tiles are mutually blocking, the Shuffle button will re-deal the remainder into a solvable arrangement, so use it without guilt rather than stalling.
The Story Behind the Saw Layout
A handsaw is one of the oldest tools humans still use in a recognizable form, and almost everyone can picture one at a glance: the grip you wrap your hand around, the flat steel that flashes as it cuts, and that telltale line of teeth. That universal silhouette is what makes it such a satisfying Mahjong board, because the shape is legible the moment the tiles load, no caption required.
There is also a nice play between the tool's two halves that the layout captures. A real saw is heavy and solid at the handle and light and delicate at the tip, and the board mirrors that exactly: a dense, deliberate cluster at one end and a thin, quick-clearing edge at the other. You essentially get two moods in one game, brisk demolition along the blade and careful surgery at the grip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the easiest tiles to clear first on the Saw board?
The teeth along the lower edge of the blade. Each one is a small nub with open sides, so they match readily, and removing them exposes the long spine of the blade behind them.
Why do I keep getting stuck near the end of the Saw layout?
Almost always it is the handle. That is the thickest, most stacked part of the board, so the last few tiles you need tend to be buried there. Clear the blade for easy pairs but keep returning to unstack the handle so it does not trap you.
Is the Saw a hard layout?
No, it is rated 2 out of 5 and plays gently. The blade gives up tiles quickly; only the handle cluster asks for any real planning, which makes it a good board for a relaxed session.
What should I do if the handle tiles end up blocking each other?
Press the Shuffle button. It re-deals the remaining tiles into a layout that is still guaranteed solvable, which is the cleanest way out of a self-blocked handle.
See more Object Mahjong boards, or browse all layouts.
