Game guide
Minesweeper
Your goal
Open every safe cell without revealing a mine. Use the numbers to deduce where mines must be; flags are reminders, not proof.
How to play
- Choose a difficulty and open a cell. Mines are placed after the first opening, excluding that cell and its immediate neighbours, so the first move is safe.
- A number counts mines among the cell's eight neighbours, including diagonals. Empty regions open automatically until their numbered boundaries are reached.
- Flag cells you believe contain mines. Flags protect those cells from an ordinary opening; remove a flag if you reconsider.
- Tap an open number when the surrounding flag count equals it to open its remaining neighbours together. Incorrectly placed flags can make this action hit a mine.
Controls
Computer
Left-click a closed cell to open it and right-click to toggle a flag. Click an open number to open its neighbours when enough flags surround it.
Phone or tablet
Tap to open and hold a cell to toggle a flag. You can also enable flag mode and tap to place flags. Tap an open number for the same neighbour-opening action as on a computer.
Progress and the end of a game
- Opening a mine ends the game. Opening every safe cell wins; correctly flagging every mine without opening the safe cells is not enough.
- The timer measures the active puzzle, and best times are tracked by difficulty. The mine counter subtracts placed flags, so it may be wrong or even negative if your flags are wrong.
Useful tips
- If a number has exactly that many unopened neighbours, all of them are mines. If its mines are already flagged, the other neighbours are safe.
- Compare overlapping clues before guessing. Verify your flags before opening all neighbours of a number in one action.