THE PLAYBOOK · GZDINGZAN
A practical guide to Minesweeper
Open Minesweeper, check the instructions and begin a round. Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Check the relevant rule before repeating a move. Begin with the solo mode shown on the page. Look at what changes after your first action.
A small practice goal
After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Notice the feedback after each input.
Understand the aim
Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Read that aim before choosing your first action. Keep the controls in easy reach.
Work through the instructions
- Open a covered square to reveal it.
- A number counts mines in the surrounding eight positions.
- Right-click to flag on a computer, or enable Flag mode on a phone.
- Use safe deductions to open the remaining cells.
The controls to know
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices. Use the control method described here for this activity. Return to the rules if the result is unexpected.
A closer look at one example
A revealed 1 with only one covered neighbour means that neighbour contains a mine. Your next round may have a different position, so inspect it before acting. Notice the change in the playing area.
Check this before moving on
A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square. Read the feedback to see why an action did not have the expected result. Keep the stated aim separate from side details such as animation or appearance. Progress is measured by the game’s own completion or scoring rules.
If you are unsure
For my first round, what is the goal of Minesweeper?
For clarity: Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells.
While learning, how do I control Minesweeper?
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices.
When I return, what example helps explain Minesweeper?
Keep this in mind: A revealed 1 means exactly one neighbouring square contains a mine. The clue counts diagonal neighbours as well as the squares directly beside it.
For this browser game, what should I watch out for in Minesweeper?
The key detail is this: A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square.
On this playing page, what format does Minesweeper offer?
The key detail is this: Play using the solo mode shown on this page. Read the controls before starting a new round.
For this browser game, which play mode does Minesweeper use?
For clarity: The mode on this page is Solo. Same-device play uses one screen; this game library does not provide internet matchmaking.