Minesweeper
The classic mine-clearing deduction game
Minesweeper is a classic deduction puzzle where you clear a grid of hidden mines using numerical clues. Each revealed number tells you exactly how many mines are adjacent to that cell (including diagonals). By combining these clues, you can logically determine which cells are safe and which contain mines. Far from the random clicking game many remember, skilled Minesweeper play is a rich exercise in constraint-based logical reasoning.
History & Origins
Minesweeper's origins as a computer game date to the 1960s, but it became a worldwide phenomenon when Microsoft bundled it with Windows 3.1 in 1992. The original purpose was partly to teach users how to right-click and left-click — skills that were new to many people at the time. The logic puzzle version (where every mine is deducible without guessing) evolved separately in puzzle magazines and competitions, with the World Puzzle Championship featuring no-guess Minesweeper variants since the 1990s.
How to Play Minesweeper
Reveal Cells
Click any cell to reveal it. If it contains a mine, you lose. If it's safe, it shows a number or opens a blank area.
Number Clues
Each number tells you how many of the 8 adjacent cells (including diagonals) contain mines. Use these clues to deduce mine locations.
Flag Mines
Right-click or long-press to flag cells you've determined contain mines. Flagging helps track your deductions visually.
Blank Cascades
When you reveal a cell with zero adjacent mines, all neighboring safe cells automatically reveal, often opening large sections of the board.
Count Carefully
Each number accounts for ALL adjacent mines, including ones you've already flagged. Subtract known mines to find remaining threats.
Win Condition
Win by revealing every safe cell on the board. You don't need to flag all mines — just avoid clicking on any of them.
Strategy & Solving Tips
Expert Minesweeper players use systematic deduction patterns rather than guessing. Learning these core techniques transforms the game from luck-based to logic-based.
- The "1-1" pattern: when two adjacent 1s share exactly two unrevealed cells, the mine must be in the cell unique to one of them
- Satisfied numbers: if a number already has that many adjacent flags, all remaining adjacent cells are safe — reveal them
- Unsatisfied numbers: if the remaining unrevealed cells around a number equal its value minus existing flags, all remaining cells are mines
- Work the borders between revealed numbers and unrevealed territory — that's where deductions happen
- Use "effective number" counting: subtract adjacent flags from each number to track remaining mines more easily
- Start from corners and edges where cells have fewer neighbors, making deductions simpler
Minesweeper FAQ
Is Minesweeper always solvable without guessing?
Not always in random generation. However, well-designed Minesweeper puzzles (like ours) are crafted so that every mine can be logically deduced without needing to guess.
What does the number in a cell mean?
The number tells you exactly how many of the 8 cells touching it (horizontally, vertically, and diagonally) contain mines. A "1" means one adjacent mine, a "3" means three, and so on.
What's the best first move?
Corners or edges are statistically safest for a first click since they have fewer adjacent cells. Many implementations guarantee the first click is always safe.
How do I get faster at Minesweeper?
Practice pattern recognition. Common patterns like 1-2-1 and 1-1 along edges become instantly recognizable with experience. Focus on accuracy first — speed follows naturally.
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Ready to Play Minesweeper?
Test your deductive reasoning with Minesweeper — the classic puzzle that rewards careful observation and logical elimination. Every number is a clue waiting to be decoded.