THE PLAYBOOK · H5-WEPOKER
A practical guide to Minesweeper
Try Minesweeper at your own pace and keep its objective in view. Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Look at what changes after your first action. Begin with the solo mode shown on the page. Look at what changes after your first action.
A small practice goal
Before your first action, say what you are trying to achieve. Then compare the result with the goal. Use the example to check your reasoning.
Your goal
Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Use the instructions to see which actions move you towards it. Try to explain the aim in your own words.
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.
Using the playing area
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices. A careful first action helps you become familiar with the layout. Read the example below alongside these instructions.
Put the rules into context
A revealed 1 with only one covered neighbour means that neighbour contains a mine. Apply the same reasoning to the position in your own round. Notice the change in the playing area.
Avoid this misunderstanding
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. Take enough time to read a new position. If a game has a timer, learn its controls first rather than searching for them during the round.
Common questions
While reading the Guide, 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 reading the Guide, how do I control Minesweeper?
The key detail is this: Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices.
While learning, what example helps explain Minesweeper?
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 a quick reminder, 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.
While learning, what format does Minesweeper offer?
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?
Here is the relevant explanation: The mode on this page is Solo. Same-device play uses one screen; this game library does not provide internet matchmaking.
