Minesweeper is the classic mine-hunting logic puzzle where you must reveal every safe square on a grid without clicking on a hidden mine.
Click to reveal. Right-click (or tap Flag mode) to flag suspected mines. Numbers show adjacent mines.
About Minesweeper
Minesweeper is one of the most-played computer games in history, originally bundled with Microsoft Windows since 1990. The premise is simple: a grid of squares hides a known number of mines. Each safe square, when revealed, shows a number indicating how many mines are adjacent to it (including diagonals). Using only these numbers and pure logic, you must identify which squares are safe and which contain mines. Click a mine and the game ends instantly. Reveal every safe square and you win. Our version uses a 10×10 grid with 15 mines — challenging but solvable.
How to Play Minesweeper
- Click any cell to reveal it. The first click is always safe — mines are placed after your first reveal.
- A revealed cell shows a number indicating how many of its 8 neighbors are mines. A blank cell has zero adjacent mines.
- When you reveal a blank cell, all its neighbors auto-reveal. This creates expanding safe areas.
- Right-click (or use Flag mode on mobile) to mark cells you suspect contain mines. Flagged cells cannot be accidentally revealed.
- Win by revealing every cell that does not contain a mine. Touch a mine and the game ends.
Tips and Strategy
- Start in a corner. The first click is always safe and corners often expand into large safe areas.
- When a number equals the count of unrevealed neighbors, all those unrevealed cells must be mines — flag them.
- When a number equals the count of flagged neighbors, all remaining unrevealed neighbors are safe — reveal them.
- Use the corner-pattern technique: a “1-2-1” pattern along an edge usually has predictable mine placement.
- When stuck, look for the lowest probability cells. A cell touching only “1”s has more constraints than an unconstrained cell.
- Take your time. Most losses come from rushed clicks, not from being stuck on logic puzzles.
- Practice “no-guessing” Minesweeper: only click cells you can prove safe through logic.
History and Origin
The Minesweeper game traces back to 1960s mainframe games like Cube and Mined-Out (1983). The most famous version, Microsoft Minesweeper, was created in 1989 by Robert Donner and Curt Johnson and shipped with Windows 3.1 in 1992. It was originally intended to teach users how to use the mouse and right-click. Microsoft removed Minesweeper from Windows 8 in 2012, but standalone versions remain hugely popular. World-record speedruns clear expert (30×16 with 99 mines) in under 35 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play Minesweeper?
Click cells to reveal them. Numbers show how many of the 8 neighboring cells contain mines. Use logic to deduce which cells are safe and which are mines. Right-click to flag suspected mines. Reveal every safe cell to win.
Is the first click always safe in Minesweeper?
Yes. The board is generated only after your first click, ensuring your starting cell is never a mine. This standard rule prevents games ending in 1 click.
What does the number on a revealed cell mean?
The number is the count of mines among that cell’s 8 neighbors (the 4 sides plus 4 diagonals). If the number is 3, exactly 3 of the 8 surrounding cells contain mines.
How do I flag a mine on mobile Minesweeper?
On mobile, tap the Flag mode button to switch from reveal to flag mode. While in flag mode, tapping a cell flags it instead of revealing it. Tap the button again to switch back.
Can Minesweeper always be solved without guessing?
No. Standard Minesweeper sometimes requires guessing in late-game positions where logic alone cannot determine which cell is safe. “No-guess” Minesweeper variants exist that guarantee logic-only solutions.
What is a chord click in Minesweeper?
A chord (left+right click on a number) reveals all unflagged neighbors at once. If the number of flags around the cell equals the cell’s number, this safely reveals the rest. It is a major speed-up for advanced players.
How big is the board in this Minesweeper?
Our version uses a 10×10 grid with 15 mines — between Beginner (8×8 with 10 mines) and Intermediate (16×16 with 40 mines) on Microsoft’s scale. A solid challenge for casual play.
Is Minesweeper good for the brain?
Minesweeper exercises spatial reasoning, probability thinking, and pattern recognition. While not a substitute for cognitive training, it provides genuine logic practice and is popular among programmers and mathematicians.