How to play minesweeper
The board hides a set number of mines. Open a square: if it is a mine, the game ends. If not, it shows a number that tells you how many of its eight neighbours are mines. A square with no neighbouring mines opens a whole empty area at once. Use the numbers to work out where the mines are, and open every safe square to win.
Your first click is always safe and always opens an empty area, so you never lose on move one. The timer starts with that first click, and your best time for each level is saved in your browser.
Controls on PC and mobile
- Open: left-click, or tap.
- Flag: right-click, long-press on mobile, or turn on Flag mode and tap.
- Chord: click or tap an opened number whose mines are all flagged, and all its other neighbours open at once. This is the fastest way to play.
- New game: press the smiley face.
- Keyboard: move with Tab or arrow keys, Enter opens, F flags.
Levels
Easy is 9ร9 with 10 mines, Medium is 16ร16 with 40 mines, and Expert is 30ร16 with 99 mines, the classic sizes. On narrow phone screens the Expert board turns upright (16ร30), so the cells stay big enough to tap.
Strategy tips
Start with the obvious ones. A 1 touching exactly one closed square means that square is a mine. If a number already has that many flags around it, every other neighbour is safe: chord it. Learn the classic 1-2-1 pattern on a wall (mines under the 1s, not the 2) and 1-2-2-1 (mines under the 2s). When you are truly stuck, guess in a spot that opens the most new information, such as a corner far from known numbers.
About the game
Minesweeper-style puzzles go back to the 1960s and 70s, and the game became world famous when it shipped with Windows in the early 1990s. It is still one of the best short logic puzzles: easy to learn, and fast experts finish the Expert board in well under a minute. This version is built for speed: no download, no account, and it works offline after your first visit.
FAQ
Is this minesweeper free?
Yes, it is free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.
Is the first click always safe?
Yes. Mines are placed after your first click, away from that square and its neighbours.
How do I flag a mine on a phone?
Long-press the square, or turn on Flag mode with the button below the board and tap.
What is chording?
Clicking an opened number that already has the right number of flags around it opens all its other neighbours at once.
Can I play offline?
Yes. After the first visit the page is stored in your browser and opens without internet.