Minesweeper Board
Pick a square to begin.
How to Play Minesweeper
The goal is simple to state and satisfying to solve: reveal every square on the board that does not hide a mine. Reveal a mine and the game ends immediately, so every move is a small deduction built on the clues the board gives you.
Revealing squares
Left-click a square on desktop, or tap it on a touchscreen, to reveal what's underneath. A revealed square is either blank (no mines nearby, and the surrounding squares open up automatically) or shows a number.
Flagging mines
Right-click a square on desktop, or press and hold it on mobile, to plant a flag. Flagged squares are locked against accidental reveals and count against the mine total shown in the console, so you always know how many unflagged mines are left to find.
Reading the numbers
Every number tells you exactly how many mines are hiding in the up to eight squares that touch it, including diagonals. This is the entire logic engine of the game:
If a number's mine count already matches the number of flags you've placed around it, every other neighboring square is guaranteed safe. If a number's count exactly equals its remaining hidden neighbors, all of those hidden neighbors must be mines. Chaining these two rules across the board is how Minesweeper is actually won, rather than guessed.
Winning and losing
You win the moment every non-mine square is revealed — the game flags any remaining mines for you automatically. Clicking a mine ends the round on the spot: the full minefield is revealed, the timer stops, and the reset button starts a fresh board at the same difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the numbers mean in Minesweeper?
Each number on a revealed square tells you how many mines are hidden in the up to eight squares touching it, including diagonals. A "3" means exactly three of its neighbors are mines; a blank square means none of its neighbors are mines, which is why revealing a blank automatically opens up all the squares around it.
How do I flag a mine?
Right-click a square on desktop, or press and hold (long-press) a square on mobile, to mark it with a flag. Flagging a square prevents it from being revealed by accident and reduces the mine counter, which helps you track how many unflagged mines are left. Use the same action again to remove a flag.
Is there a trick to winning Minesweeper?
Start by clicking near the middle of the board to open the largest possible safe area. Then look for a number that already has all of its mines flagged; every other neighboring square is safe to reveal. Also look for a number whose count exactly matches its remaining hidden neighbors, since all of those must be mines. Working the edges of opened areas methodically beats guessing.
What happens if I click on a mine?
Clicking a mine ends the game immediately. The board reveals every mine so you can see where they were, the timer stops, and you can start a new game right away with the reset button.
Can I play Minesweeper on my phone?
Yes. This version is built for touchscreens: tap a square to reveal it, and press and hold a square to flag it as a suspected mine. The board also scales and scrolls to fit smaller screens on the Hard difficulty.