Minesweeper
About the game and how to play
Minesweeper is the classic logic puzzle. The goal is to open every safe square on the board without setting off a mine. Each number you reveal tells you how many mines touch that square, so you can deduce where the mines are and flag them. Choose easy, medium, hard or ultra hard, or set your own board size.
- Players
- 1 player
- Category
- Logic puzzles
- Price
- Free, no download, no sign-up
- Where to play
- In the browser on phone, tablet and computer
How to play
- Pick a difficulty and tap any square to start.
- Numbers show how many mines are in the neighbouring squares.
- Use flag mode to mark squares you are sure hide a mine.
- Open every square without a mine to win.
Tips
- Learn the edge patterns: along a straight row of hidden squares, a 1-2-1 means the mines sit opposite both 1s, and a 1-2-2-1 means they sit opposite the two 2s.
- When a number already has as many flags around it as its value, tap the number itself to open all its other neighbours at once. Only flag squares you are sure of, though: with a wrong flag this shortcut sets off a mine.
- On a phone, long-press a square to flag it, or switch on flag mode so every tap places a flag. The mines-left counter simply subtracts your flags from the mine total, so a wrong flag throws it off too.
- When you are forced to guess, do not click at random: use the surrounding numbers and the mines left to pick the least risky square, and remember that a square far from the numbers can also open a new area.
Frequently asked questions
Can your first click in Minesweeper hit a mine?
No. Mines are placed only after your first tap, and that square and its eight neighbours are kept clear whenever the mine count allows, so every preset board starts with an open area.
What are the board sizes and mine counts?
Easy is 8×8 with 10 mines, Medium 16×16 with 40, Hard 24×24 with 99 and Ultra hard 32×32 with 180. A custom game lets you choose 5 to 100 rows and columns and any number of mines below the number of squares.
Is every board solvable without guessing?
No. Mines are placed at random and boards are not checked for a guess-free solution, so now and then you reach a spot where logic alone cannot decide.