About the game
Minesweeper is a logic puzzle where you clear a grid of hidden squares without detonating any mines. Clicking a square reveals either a number (how many mines are adjacent) or a mine (game over). Numbers help you deduce where mines are. You can right-click to flag suspected mines.
Made famous by Windows 3.1 in 1992, Minesweeper is one of the most-played computer games in history. The beauty of the game is that it requires zero guessing — every puzzle is solvable through pure logic. The numbers are not hints; they are mathematical guarantees.
How to play
- Click any square to reveal it. If it is a mine, the game is over.
- If it is a number, that tells you how many of the eight surrounding squares contain mines.
- Use the numbers to deduce where mines must be. Flag suspected mines with a right-click.
- Clear all non-mine squares to win. You do not need to flag all mines — just reveal every safe square.
Controls
| Reveal square | Left click |
| Flag / unflag mine | Right click |
| Touch screens | Tap to reveal, long-press to flag |
Five strategy tips
1. Start corners and edges
Corners have fewer neighbours, so the initial reveal is more informative. Corners often cascade into large open areas.
2. The 1-2 pattern
A "1" adjacent to a "2" where the 1 has only one unrevealed neighbour means the 2's other unrevealed neighbour is a mine.
3. Don't flag prematurely
Only flag when you are certain. Wrong flags mislead your own logic. Reveal more squares first.
4. Count the mines
The total mine count is shown. If a row has 3 mines remaining and only 3 unrevealed squares, all three are mines.
5. Chord-click for speed
If a number is surrounded by the correct number of flags, clicking it reveals all remaining neighbours instantly. Use this to clear large areas fast.
Why you'll like it
Minesweeper is the purest logic puzzle in gaming. Every click is a deduction, every flag is a commitment, and every cleared board is proof that you out-thought the game. Zero luck involved.
Frequently asked questions
Is there guessing involved?
No — every Minesweeper puzzle is solvable through pure logic. If you are guessing, you have missed a deduction.
What does the number mean?
It tells you how many of the eight immediately adjacent squares contain mines.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes — tap to reveal, long-press to flag.
Game credit: Open-source Minesweeper implementation. MIT licence. Part of the tvanas/html5-games collection.