Minesweeper
Clear the field, dodge the mines
Click to dig, right-click (or long-press, or switch to flag mode) to flag a mine. Click a number whose mines are all flagged to clear around it. The first click is always safe. Best times:
About the Minesweeper
The classic Windows puzzle, rebuilt for the browser. Reveal every safe square without setting off a mine, using the numbers as clues: each number tells you how many mines touch that square. Play the standard Beginner (9×9, 10 mines), Intermediate (16×16, 40 mines) and Expert (30×16, 99 mines) boards. Your first click is always safe and opens an area. Right-click to flag a mine (or long-press, or switch to flag mode on a phone), and click a number whose mines are all flagged to clear its neighbours in one go. Your best time for each level is saved.
- Choose a level and click any square to start; the first click is always safe.
- Use the numbers to work out where the mines are and flag them (right-click or long-press).
- Reveal every safe square to win.
Patterns every player should know
A 1 touching only one hidden square means that square is a mine. The 1-2-1 pattern along a wall puts mines under both 1s, and 1-2-2-1 puts mines under the two 2s. When a number already has its mines flagged, every other square around it is safe: click the number to open them all at once.
Getting faster
Experts barely flag at all. They open safe squares directly and chord heavily. Start by flagging everything to learn the patterns, then try playing with fewer flags to cut your times.
Frequently asked
How do you play Minesweeper?
Click squares to reveal them. A number shows how many of the eight surrounding squares contain mines. Use that logic to flag the mines and open every other square. Hit a mine and the game is over.
What is chording in Minesweeper?
When a number already has that many flags around it, click the number to open all its other neighbours at once. It is the fastest way to clear the board.
How do I flag on a phone?
Long-press a square, or tap the Tap to: dig button to switch to flag mode.
Is the first click always safe?
Yes. Mines are placed after your first click, never on or next to it, so the first click always opens an area.
Is Minesweeper free to play?
Yes. It's free with no download, no sign-up and no in-app purchases. It works on phones, tablets and computers.
Is my best score saved?
Where the game has a high score, it is saved in your browser on this device.
Is what I type sent to a server?
No. The tool runs entirely in your browser and there's no server behind it, so what you type never leaves your device and nothing is stored. You can check: it keeps working if you go offline after the page has loaded.
More from the Games drawer
Other tools kept in this drawer, plus a few favourites from the bench.