How to play Minesweeper
The board hides a number of mines. Open a square by tapping or clicking it. If it's a mine, the game is over. Otherwise it shows a number: how many of the eight squares around it contain mines. Empty areas open up automatically.
Use the numbers to work out where the mines are and mark them with flags. You win when every square without a mine has been opened. Try to do it as fast as you can and beat your best time.
Difficulty levels
- Easy: 9×9 board with 10 mines. Good for learning.
- Medium: 12×12 board with 24 mines.
- Hard: 16×16 board with 45 mines.
Solving tips
- Start with the 1s. A 1 touching only one hidden square means that square is a mine.
- Look for satisfied numbers. If a number already has all its mines flagged, every other square around it is safe. Click the number to open them all at once.
- Learn the 1-2-1 pattern. Along a wall, a 1-2-1 row means the mines are under the two 1s, and the square under the 2 is safe.
- Guess as a last resort. When you really have to guess, pick a square far from the numbers. Corners and edges are often safer.
Controls
- Phone and tablet: tap to open, long-press to flag, or use Flag mode.
- Computer: left-click to open, right-click to flag, click a number to open around it.
FAQ
Can my first click hit a mine?
No. Mines are placed after your first click, and never on or right next to the square you clicked, so your first move always opens up part of the board.
How do I place a flag on my phone?
Long-press a square to flag it, or turn on Flag mode with the 🚩 button so every tap places or removes a flag.
What is chording?
If a number already has the right number of flags around it, tap or click the number to open all of its other neighbours at once. It's a big time saver.
Are my best times saved?
Yes. Your best time for each difficulty is saved in your browser on this device.