How to play Minesweeper properly

Each number counts the mines touching that square. Almost everything follows from two rules applied patiently.

A revealed number tells you how many of its eight neighbours are mines. Two rules do most of the work.

If a number equals the count of unknown squares around it, they are all mines.

If a number equals the count of flags already around it, every remaining unknown neighbour is safe.

Alternating between these clears most of a board.

The patterns worth memorising

1-2-1 along a wall. The squares behind the 1s are mines and the square behind the 2 is safe. It comes up constantly and saves a lot of staring.

1-2-2-1. The squares behind the two 2s are mines.

The subset rule. When one number's unknown neighbours are entirely contained within another's, subtract. A 2 whose unknowns are a subset of a 3's tells you the extra square in the 3's set is a mine. This is the technique that resolves positions where the simple rules stall.

When there is genuinely no certainty

Minesweeper differs from the other puzzles here: some positions really are ambiguous, and no amount of reasoning resolves them. When that happens, do not click at random.

Use the global mine count. If eight mines remain among forty unknown squares, an isolated square is a one-in-five risk, while a square adjacent to a 3 with three unknowns is a one-in-one certainty of the wrong kind. Prefer clicking in the largest open region far from constraints, and leave the tight corners until the numbers elsewhere have reduced the uncertainty.

Frequently asked questions

Can the first click be a mine?

No. The board is laid out after your first click, so it is always safe — and usually opens a region.

Is Minesweeper always solvable by logic?

Not always. Genuine coin-flip positions occur. When one does, use the remaining mine count to pick the least risky square rather than clicking arbitrarily.

What is the 1-2-1 pattern?

Three consecutive numbers along an edge reading 1, 2, 1. The squares behind the 1s are mines and the one behind the 2 is safe. It appears often enough to be worth recognising instantly.