Question: Can a player pick a tile from the wall if another player says, “wait,” indicating they are thinking about taking the most recent discard for exposure?

Answer: Once a player has said, “wait,” or any other word or words such as, “call,” or “take,” indicating they may want a discard, the game stops until the player decides if they actually want the tile.

Additionally, if one player says “wait,” and another player says, “call,” the caller get the discard. (This ruling is not found in Mah Jongg Made Easy however, it was confirmed by the Standardization Committee at the National Mah Jongg League.

For further info on simultaneous calls for exposure or for Mah Jongg, see ID86 & ID89)

Source: Mah Jongg Made Easy 2024, pg. 18, #10 & Explanation of Terms Used in Mah Jongg