Minesweeper: The Complete Guide

Minesweeper traces its roots to mainframe computer games of the 1960s and 70s. Robert Donner created the modern version in 1989, and the game gained worldwide popularity when Microsoft bundled it with Windows 3.1 in 1992.

Microsoft had a specific reason for including Minesweeper in Windows beyond pure entertainment. At the time, the mouse was just becoming mainstream, and many users were unfamiliar with how to use one — particularly the difference between left-clicking and right-clicking. Minesweeper was deliberately designed as an educational tool: left-click to reveal a cell, right-click to plant a flag. Players naturally learned mouse skills just by playing.

Countless variants and online versions have emerged since then, and the game is still available on web browsers, smartphones, and more. Competitive play is thriving as well, with astonishing world records — under 1 second on Beginner and under 30 seconds on Expert.

The goal of Minesweeper is straightforward: reveal every safe cell without clicking on a mine. When you open a cell, a number appears indicating how many of the eight surrounding cells contain mines.

Controls:

• Left-click: Reveal a cell. Hitting a mine ends the game.

• Right-click: Place a flag on a cell you suspect contains a mine.

• Both buttons simultaneously (or middle-click): When the correct number of flags surround a numbered cell, reveal all remaining adjacent cells at once.

Difficulty levels:

• Beginner: 9×9 grid, 10 mines

• Intermediate: 16×16 grid, 40 mines

• Expert: 16×30 grid, 99 mines

In most versions of the game, your first click is guaranteed to be safe, so feel free to click anywhere to start without worry.

The key to improving at Minesweeper is learning to recognize patterns quickly. Mastering common patterns will significantly speed up your play.

[1-2-1 Pattern]

When the numbers 1-2-1 appear in a straight line, there is exactly one mine on each side of the 2. The remaining cells are safe to open.

[1-1 Pattern]

If two 1s are diagonally adjacent and share only two common cells, exactly one of those shared cells contains a mine. The other cells are safe.

[Corner 1]

When a 1 appears in a corner cell, only one of the three adjacent cells contains a mine, so the others can be safely opened.

[Edge 1-2-1]

When 1-2-1 appears along the border of the board, mine positions become clear and deterministic.

These patterns take conscious effort at first, but with practice they become automatic. Expert players recognize them at a glance and proceed at lightning speed.

Beyond pattern recognition, the next level requires logical deduction — combining information from multiple numbered cells to pinpoint mine locations.

[Subtraction Strategy]

When two numbered cells share an overlapping region, use the difference in their mine counts to deduce information about non-overlapping cells. For example, if cell A borders 3 mines and cell B borders 2 mines and they share some cells, the difference can tell you exactly where mines are in the non-shared area.

[Isolation Strategy]

Isolate a specific region, determine exactly how many mines it contains, then combine that information with other clues to solve it.

[Probability Calculation]

Sometimes there is no guaranteed safe move. In that case, consider the number of remaining mines and the number of unrevealed cells to estimate probabilities and click the least risky cell. For example, if 5 mines remain among 20 unrevealed cells, any given cell has a 25% chance of being a mine.

[Edge-First Strategy]

When you are stuck, working along the edges of the board is often productive. Border cells have fewer neighbors, making it easier to extract information and find a way into the interior.

Chasing world records requires more than just avoiding mines — speed matters enormously.

[Mastering Chording]

Chording is the technique of pressing both mouse buttons (or the middle button) to open multiple cells at once. Once the correct number of flags surround a numbered cell, chordin reveals all remaining neighbors simultaneously. Mastering this can more than double your speed.

[Flag Minimization]

Placing flags takes time. Some players flag only the mines they are absolutely certain about and track the rest mentally, saving precious seconds. This raises the risk of mistakes, so it requires considerable practice.

[Choosing Your Opening Click]

Where you click first matters. Clicking near the center is generally better than a corner, as it is more likely to open a large area all at once.

[Minimizing Mouse Movement]

Develop a systematic scanning routine to minimize how far you move the mouse. Scanning left to right and top to bottom in a consistent pattern is typically the most efficient approach.

[NF (No-Flag) Technique]

Top-tier players use the No-Flag (NF) technique — clearing the board without placing any flags at all, opening only safe cells. This eliminates all time spent flagging but demands extraordinary concentration and memory.

Even without the classic built-in Windows version, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Minesweeper.

[Windows 10/11]

Search for "Microsoft Minesweeper" in the Microsoft Store and install it for free. In addition to Classic mode, it offers Adventure mode, daily challenges, and more.

[Web Browsers]

Online Minesweeper sites you can play instantly without any installation:

• minesweeper.online — Clean interface with a global leaderboard system

• minesweeperonline.com — A faithful recreation of the classic Windows look

• chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles — Highly customizable grid sizes and difficulty

[Mobile Apps]

Search for "Minesweeper" on the iOS App Store or Google Play and you will find dozens of apps. Many are optimized for touch input, so try a few and find the one that suits you best.

[Variants]

If classic Minesweeper starts to feel repetitive, try one of these variations:

• Hexagonal Minesweeper: Played on a honeycomb grid

• 3D Minesweeper: Played in a cubic space

• Infinite Minesweeper: An endlessly expanding board

Few things are more frustrating in Minesweeper than hitting a mine when you are almost done. Here is how to cut down on errors.

[Systematic Scanning]

Do not click at random. Scan the board methodically from left to right and top to bottom. This makes it much easier to spot information you might have missed.

[Double-Check Before Clicking]

Even when you feel certain, verify one more time before clicking — especially late in the game when the cost of a mistake is highest.

[One Click at a Time]

Rapidly clicking multiple cells in a row is a recipe for errors. Get into the habit of checking the result after each click before moving on.

[Manage Fatigue]

Mistakes increase when your focus drops. If you have been playing for more than 30 minutes straight, take a short break.

[Guessing as a Last Resort]

Before guessing, scan the entire board one more time to make sure there really is no logical move left. In most cases, there is a clue hiding somewhere you overlooked.

[Lowest-Probability First]

If you truly must guess, compare the probabilities of your uncertain areas and try the one with the lowest likelihood of containing a mine. You can estimate this by comparing the number of remaining mines to the number of unrevealed cells.

Minesweeper has evolved from a simple game into a competitive discipline with a dedicated global community.

[World Records]

Officially recognized world records (as of 2024):

• Beginner (9×9, 10 mines): ~0.49 seconds

• Intermediate (16×16, 40 mines): ~7.03 seconds

• Expert (16×30, 99 mines): ~28.41 seconds

These times approach the limits of human performance — achievable only with a near-perfect board layout and flawless execution.

[Online Communities]

• Minesweeper.info: The largest Minesweeper community in the world, offering official record verification, forums, and strategy guides.

• Authoritative Minesweeper: A record certification site where players can submit video evidence of their times for official validation.

[Tournaments and Events]

Minesweeper competitions are held regularly, both online and offline. Join a daily challenge to test your skills against players from around the world.

[Replay Analysis]

Many Minesweeper programs include a replay feature that records your games so you can review them later. Watching your own replays helps identify mistakes, and studying videos of expert players is one of the fastest ways to improve.