How to Play Minesweeper
Minesweeper is a logic puzzle played on a hidden grid. Some squares contain mines. Your goal is to reveal every safe square without opening a mine. Each revealed number tells you how many mines are touching that square, including diagonally.
Useful controls
On desktop, use left-click to reveal and right-click to flag. When a revealed number already has the correct number of adjacent flags, click that number again to chord and open its other covered neighbors. You can also press Space to start a new game.
Minesweeper Difficulty Levels
Choose a quick Beginner board, move up to Intermediate, tackle the full Expert layout, or create your own board size and mine count.
| Difficulty | Board | Mines | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 9 × 9 | 10 | Learning the rules |
| Intermediate | 16 × 16 | 40 | Regular play |
| Expert | 30 × 16 | 99 | Experienced players |
| Custom | Up to 30 × 24 | Adjustable | Your own challenge |
Minesweeper Strategy Tips
Start with patterns, not guesses
Look for certain information first. If a revealed “1” touches only one covered square, that square must contain a mine. If a numbered square already touches the number of flags shown on it, its other neighboring squares are safe.
Use flags as working notes
Flags are most useful when you are confident about a mine. Over-flagging uncertain squares can make the board harder to read and can lead to incorrect chording.
Use chording to play faster
Once the right number of mines around a clue has been flagged, chording reveals the remaining adjacent covered squares at once. It is one of the fastest ways to clear larger boards.
Keep the frontier visible
Focus on the edge between revealed and covered areas. The numbered clues along this frontier contain the information needed to make your next logical move.
Minesweeper FAQ
How do you win Minesweeper?
You win by revealing every square that does not contain a mine. You do not have to flag every mine, although flags make the puzzle easier to reason about.
What do the numbers mean?
Each number shows the total number of mines in the eight possible neighboring squares around that tile. Corners and edges naturally have fewer neighbors.
Is the first click safe?
Yes. This version places mines after your first reveal and keeps the opening square safe, along with nearby squares when the board has enough room.
How do I place a flag on a phone or tablet?
Tap the Flag control, then tap a covered square. You can also press and hold a covered square to toggle a flag without changing modes.
Does Minesweeper save my best time?
Yes. Your game count, wins and best completion times for standard difficulties are stored locally in your browser on this device.
Can I create a custom Minesweeper board?
Yes. Choose Custom and set the width, height and number of mines within the supported range.