Cloud Mahjong Solitaire
About the Cloud Layout
Cloud is a big, soft, friendly board of 118 tiles shaped like a cumulus drifting across a summer sky. Three rounded humps billow along the top edge while the underside sits flat, exactly the way a fair-weather cloud looks from the ground. It is one of the larger layouts in this set, but do not let the tile count worry you: rated 2 out of 5, it stays relaxed because the shape is wide and rounded rather than tall and tangled.
Playing the cloud feels expansive and unhurried. The board spreads out horizontally with gentle mounds rather than a single steep peak, so the layering is spread thin across a broad area. You are rarely digging deep; instead you wander across the puffy surface clearing pairs from one hump to the next. The size gives you a generous, satisfying session, and the soft geometry means there are usually many legal moves on the table at once.
Difficulty: Medium (2/5) | Tiles: 118
How to Clear the Cloud Layout
Begin along the flat bottom. The underside of the cloud is a long straight edge where tiles are exposed and easy to pull, and clearing this base first lets the three humps above it settle down into reach. Sweeping the bottom edge also widens your view of which pairs are available higher up.
Treat each of the three humps as its own little hill. The billowing tops are where the tiles stack highest, and each crown holds a few capping tiles that block whatever sits beneath. Take the peak tiles of all three humps fairly early and evenly so you do not over-dig one mound while another stays sealed and hides a partner you need.
The crux of Cloud is the valleys between the humps. Where two rounded tops meet, tiles can be hemmed in on both left and right by the neighboring mounds, making those the most blocked positions on the board. Keep the dips clearing in pace with the crowns so a match does not get pinched between two humps late in the game.
For the endgame, flatten the cloud into a thin layer and clear it from the outside in. With 118 tiles there are many copies of each design in play, so keep an eye on which suits you have already removed to avoid stranding a final pair under a crown. If the board does lock up, Shuffle re-deals the remaining tiles into a solvable layout, which is especially handy on a big board like this one.
The Story Behind the Cloud Layout
A cumulus cloud is the classic cloud of a child's drawing: a flat-bottomed, cauliflower-topped puff that forms when warm air rises on a sunny day and its moisture condenses into visible droplets. The three rounded tops in this layout capture that billowing, ever-growing quality, the sense that the cloud is quietly piling up on itself.
There is a nice contrast built into the shape. The top is all soft curves and motion while the base is dead flat, because real cumulus clouds form along a level line of condensation where the rising air first cools enough to make water visible. The board turns that bit of weather science into a play space that is bouncy up top and stable along the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cloud has a lot of tiles. Is it hard?
No. With 118 tiles it is one of the bigger boards here, but it is still rated only 2 out of 5. The shape is wide and gently rounded rather than tall, so the layering is shallow and there are usually plenty of free tiles to work with.
Where is the best place to start on Cloud?
Along the flat bottom edge. Those tiles are the most exposed on the board, and clearing the base lets the three rounded humps above settle into reach.
Which spots tend to get blocked?
The valleys where two humps meet. Tiles tucked into a dip can be hemmed in by both neighboring mounds, so clear the dips in step with the crowns to avoid pinching a match.
With so many tiles, how do I avoid getting stuck near the end?
Track which designs you have already removed so you do not bury a final pair under a hump. If you do stall, the Shuffle button re-deals the remaining tiles into a fresh solvable arrangement.
See more Nature Mahjong boards, or browse all layouts.
