Matching pictures are not enough: Mahjong solitaire usually checks whether tiles are free, while Onet-style games also require a permitted connecting path.
Two games, two different blocking rules
In standard Mahjong solitaire, a tile must be uncovered and have at least one open left or right side. A matching pair can remain blocked by tiles above or beside it. In the common Onet rule, a connecting line may make at most two right-angle turns through empty space; some boards allow the path outside the border. Check the particular game's tutorial because variants can differ.
Try the steps
- In Mahjong, inspect both tiles for a covering tile and blocked left and right sides.
- In Onet, trace the whole proposed path and count its turns instead of counting the distance between pictures.
- When several pairs are legal, prefer one that releases another tile or opens a useful corridor.
Are diagonally adjacent matching tiles always removable?
No. A diagonal is not an orthogonal connecting path, and proximity does not make a Mahjong tile free. Recheck each game's access rule. Mahjong Classic and Onet Puzzle are separate catalog entries; learning one interface does not establish the exact rules or available hints in the other.
