Can you use a joker in NEWS or a year like 2026?
By Jerry Chen. Checked and updated November 1, 2026
Short answer: no
No. NEWS and year groups are made of single tiles, and jokers can never stand in for a single.
The detail
Jokers only work in groups of three or more identical tiles. Each letter in NEWS is one tile, and each digit in a year is one tile, so neither can contain a joker.
For the same reason, you cannot call a discard to expose NEWS or a year: you can only call for a pung or bigger, or for the tile that wins.
Sources
These follow standard National Mah Jongg League rules. House rules vary; agree on them before you play.
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