How to play
- Tap any square to start. Your first tap is always safe and opens up part of the board.
- Read the numbers. A number tells you how many mines touch that square, including corners. A blank square has no mines around it.
- Flag the mines you're sure of: right-click on a computer, or switch on Flag mode on a phone.
- Open every square without a mine to win. Open a mine and the game ends.
Board sizes
| Difficulty | Board | Mines |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 9 × 9 (81 squares) | 10 |
| Medium | 12 × 12 (144 squares) | 24 |
| Hard | 16 × 16 (256 squares) | 40 |
Mines are placed after your first tap, never on that square or the eight around it. That's why the first tap always opens a clear area.
Worked example
Imagine a row of open squares along the bottom of the board, reading 1, 1, 1, with hidden squares above them.
- The 1 on the far left touches only two hidden squares, and one of them is a mine.
- The middle 1 touches three hidden squares: the same two, plus one more on the right. It also needs exactly one mine.
- The mine the left 1 needs is already one of those two squares, so it also counts for the middle 1. That means the extra square on the right is safe to open.
Small steps like this solve most boards without guessing.
Tips
- Start from the edges of open areas. Numbers next to blank squares give the most information.
- Use quick open: tap a number that already has the right number of flags around it, and all its other neighbours open at once. Make sure your flags are right first.
- Count the mines left. Near the end, the counter can tell you which squares must be safe.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Minesweeper?
It follows the same well-known rules as minesweeper-style games. We wrote our own version from scratch, and it isn't connected with any other company's game.
Do I ever have to guess?
Sometimes, yes. Mines are placed at random, so now and then a board can't be solved by logic alone and you have to take a chance.
How do I flag on a phone?
Press Flag mode. While it's on, taps place or remove flags instead of opening squares. Press it again to go back to opening squares.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes. Tab to the board, move with the arrow keys, press Enter or Space to open a square and F to place or remove a flag.