THE PLAYBOOK · WHWYBK
How to play Minesweeper
Take a moment with Minesweeper before moving to another game. Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Look at what changes after your first action. Check the rule that explains your first action. Keep the game area visible while you use its controls.
Try a deliberate move
After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Make the next step deliberately.
Your goal
Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Read that aim before choosing your first action. Keep the controls in easy reach.
Step by step
- Open a covered square to reveal it.
- A number counts mines in the surrounding eight positions.
- Right-click to flag on a computer, or enable Flag mode on a phone.
- Use safe deductions to open the remaining cells.
Controls
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices. Use the control method described here for this activity. Use the visible help when you are unsure of the next input.
A useful example
A revealed 1 with only one covered neighbour means that neighbour contains a mine. Compare this with the rule that governs the move. Consider the next action carefully.
Watch out for this
A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square. Take a moment to reassess the position before continuing. Keep the stated aim separate from side details such as animation or appearance. Progress is measured by the game’s own completion or scoring rules.
Common questions
While learning, what is the goal of Minesweeper?
Keep this in mind: Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells.
How do I control Minesweeper?
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices.
For this browser game, what example helps explain Minesweeper?
For clarity: A revealed 1 means exactly one neighbouring square contains a mine. The clue counts diagonal neighbours as well as the squares directly beside it.
For this browser game, what should I watch out for in Minesweeper?
For clarity: A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square.
For my first round, what format does Minesweeper offer?
Play using the solo mode shown on this page. Read the controls before starting a new round.
Before I begin, which play mode does Minesweeper use?
The mode on this page is Solo. Same-device play uses one screen; this game library does not provide internet matchmaking.