How to Play Minesweeper

Minesweeper is the classic logic puzzle game that challenges your deductive reasoning and pattern recognition skills. Navigate a grid filled with hidden mines, using number clues to safely reveal all mine-free cells without triggering an explosion.

Game Objective

Your goal is to reveal every cell on the grid that doesn't contain a mine. The grid contains a certain number of hidden mines randomly placed at the start of each game. You must identify and flag all mine locations while safely uncovering all other cells. Click on a mine and you lose; reveal all safe cells and you win.

How to Play

Understanding the Numbers

When you click a cell, it reveals either a number or an empty space. Numbers indicate exactly how many mines are located in the eight adjacent cells (up, down, left, right, and all four diagonals). A cell showing "3" means three mines are hidden in its surrounding cells. Empty cells have zero adjacent mines, and clicking them automatically reveals all connected empty cells in a flood-fill pattern.

Starting the Game

Begin by selecting a difficulty level: Beginner (9x9 grid with 10 mines), Intermediate (16x16 with 40 mines), or Expert (30x16 with 99 mines). Click any cell to start. The first click is always safe and never reveals a mine. Use the information from your first click to begin deducing mine locations.

Flagging Mines

When you're certain a cell contains a mine, right-click (or long-press on mobile) to place a flag. Flags mark suspected mine locations and prevent accidental clicks. The mine counter at the top decreases with each flag placed, helping you track how many mines remain unflagged. You can remove a flag by right-clicking the flagged cell again.

Controls

• Left Click: Reveal a cell (if it's not flagged)
• Right Click: Place or remove a flag on a cell
• Middle Click (or Both Buttons): Chord - reveals all adjacent unflagged cells if the number's mine count matches surrounding flags
• Long Press (Mobile): Place or remove a flag
• New Game Button: Start a fresh game with a new mine layout
• Difficulty Selector: Change grid size and mine count

Scoring and Timing

Success in Minesweeper is measured by completion time. The built-in timer starts with your first click and stops when you win or lose. Faster completion times with fewer mistakes demonstrate superior deduction skills. Many versions track your best time for each difficulty level.

Tips and Strategies

Basic Deduction Techniques

The 1-1 Pattern: When two adjacent cells both show "1" and share only one uncovered cell between them, that shared cell must contain a mine. This is one of the simplest and most common deduction patterns.

Satisfied Numbers: When a number cell has exactly that many flags in its surrounding cells, all other adjacent cells are safe to click. For example, if a cell shows "2" and already has two flags around it, the remaining adjacent cells definitely don't contain mines.

Pattern Recognition

The 1-2-1 Pattern: A row showing 1-2-1 with unopened cells above or below indicates the mine positions clearly. The mines are adjacent to the "2" cell but not to the "1" cells, eliminating several possibilities at once.

Corner and Edge Logic: Cells on corners and edges have fewer neighbors (3-5 instead of 8), making their numbers easier to interpret. Start your deductions in these areas where possibilities are more limited.

Advanced Tactics

Chording Technique: Once you've flagged all mines around a number, middle-click (or click both mouse buttons) on that number to automatically reveal all remaining adjacent cells. This speeds up gameplay significantly and reduces repetitive clicking.

Process of Elimination: Sometimes you can't determine exactly where a mine is, but you can determine where it isn't. Mark safe cells mentally or with a pattern of quick clicks, systematically eliminating impossibilities until only one solution remains.

Probability Thinking: In situations with no guaranteed solution, calculate probabilities. If one cell has a 25% chance of being a mine while another has 50%, click the 25% cell first. Compare the probability of each uncertain cell being a mine to make the safest choice.

Strategy for Different Difficulty Levels

Beginner Strategy: On the 9x9 grid, most games can be solved purely through logical deduction without guessing. Take your time to analyze all number patterns before making moves. Focus on building chains of logical deductions from known safe areas.

Intermediate and Expert Strategy: Larger grids often require educated guesses when logical deduction reaches a dead end. When forced to guess, click cells in areas where you've already gathered the most information, as revealed cells can create new deduction chains that might resolve the uncertainty.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Clicking Too Quickly: Minesweeper rewards careful analysis over speed in the early game. Take time to examine all number clues before clicking additional cells. Hasty clicks often lead to avoidable mine detonations.

Forgetting to Flag: While flags aren't required to win, they serve as visual reminders and prevent accidental clicks. Flag obvious mines immediately to avoid mistakes during rapid clicking sequences.

Ignoring Global Mine Count: Keep an eye on the mine counter. If only one mine remains and you've narrowed it down to two possible cells, checking other areas of the board might provide the clue needed to determine which cell contains that final mine.

When You Must Guess

50/50 Situations: Some Minesweeper games reach a point where logic cannot determine a mine location, forcing a guess between two equal possibilities. When this happens, recognize the situation early, make your choice, and click decisively rather than agonizing over an impossible decision.

Starting Corner Guess: Many experienced players click a corner cell for their first move, as corners have fewer neighbors and are more likely to open a large area. While any first click is safe, corners provide more useful initial information.