Minesweeper - the classic logic puzzle of clearing safe cells while avoiding hidden mines

Minesweeper is the classic logic puzzle where you uncover every safe cell on a grid while avoiding the mines hidden beneath. Left-click reveals a cell; right-click (or long-press on mobile) places a flag to mark a suspected mine. Numbers shown on revealed cells tell you exactly how many mines sit among the eight neighboring squares, and combining those numbers across the board is how you deduce which cells are safe and which are deadly. The first click is always guaranteed safe, so you can dive in without fear of an instant loss.

Three difficulty levels are available: Beginner (9×9 with 10 mines), Intermediate (16×16 with 40 mines), and Expert (30×16 with 99 mines). Your clear time is tracked automatically, and the challenge-share feature lets you push your records against friends.

Mastery comes from pattern recognition. The famous "1-2-1 pattern" along a wall guarantees mines beneath the outer 1s and a safe cell beneath the central 2. The "1-1 pattern" at edges quickly reveals safe extensions, while "subset deduction" — subtracting one constrained region from a larger one — locks down forced moves in tight corners. The "chording" technique, clicking a number whose flagged neighbors already match its count, instantly clears the surrounding cells and slashes your solve time.

Minesweeper's history began in 1990 when it shipped bundled with Microsoft Windows 3.1. Originally designed to teach new users left- and right-click mouse skills, its addictive logical gameplay turned it into one of the most-played computer games of all time, enjoyed by hundreds of millions worldwide.

FAQ — Q. Can the first click hit a mine? A. No, the first click is always guaranteed safe. Q. What are typical clear times? A. Beginner runs 30-60 seconds, Intermediate 100-200 seconds, Expert 200-400 seconds; world records sit under 1 second for Beginner and around 30 seconds for Expert. Q. Is it luck-based? A. The vast majority of moves are pure logic, but late-game 50/50 guesses do occasionally appear.