Minesweeper

Rules and help

How to play Minesweeper

Hidden mines lie on the grid. Reveal squares to see a number (how many mines touch that square, including diagonally) or an empty area. Empty areas expand to show neighbors automatically.

Controls

• Reveal: Click or tap a covered square to open it.
• Flag: Mark squares you believe contain mines (right-click on desktop, long-press on mobile).
• Chord: When the correct number of flags surround a numbered square, chord that square to open all remaining neighbors (middle-click or double-tap on mobile when enabled).

Winning and losing

You win when every non-mine square is revealed. You lose if you reveal a mine.

First click

Your first reveal is always safe—the minefield is built after you click.

Tips

• Start with corners and edges where mines have fewer possible positions.
• When a 1 touches exactly one covered square, that square must be a mine.
• Work in short bursts; flag first, then chord to speed up cleared areas.

Playing on a phone or tablet

Tap to reveal. Long-press to flag. Use the mode toggle if you prefer flag-first tapping.

Frequently asked questions

Are Minesweeper rules copyrighted?

The rules are a classic logic puzzle; this is our own implementation and artwork.

What do the numbers mean?

Each number counts mines in the eight squares around it (including diagonals).