THE PLAYBOOK · XICHONGLT
The essentials of playing Minesweeper
Read the aim of Minesweeper, then make your first move. Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Check the relevant rule before repeating a move. Treat the first round as a chance to learn the controls. Keep the game area visible while you use its controls.
Take a closer look while playing
Take enough time to read a new position. If a game has a timer, learn its controls first rather than searching for them during the round. Use the example to check your reasoning.
What counts as success
Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. An attractive position is not enough unless the goal is met. Review the board or playing area as it changes.
Work through the instructions
- 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.
Making selections and moves
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices. On a smaller screen, keep the active part of the board within view. Read the example below alongside these instructions.
Work through an 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.
Avoid this misunderstanding
A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square. A different version of the game may use a different rule. When a decision goes wrong, compare it with the common mistake described below. Start again only when you intend to leave the current round.
Game-specific help
For this browser game, what is the goal of Minesweeper?
For clarity: Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells.
While reading the Guide, how do I control Minesweeper?
Keep this in mind: Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices.
On this playing page, what example helps explain Minesweeper?
A revealed 1 with only one covered neighbour means that neighbour contains a mine.
As a new player, 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.
On this playing page, what format does Minesweeper offer?
Here is the relevant explanation: Play using the solo mode shown on this page. Read the controls before starting a new round.
For this browser game, which play mode does Minesweeper use?
Here is the relevant explanation: The mode on this page is Solo. Same-device play uses one screen; this game library does not provide internet matchmaking.
