About Minesweeper
Minesweeper is one of the most famous logic games on computers. Our version is designed for phones as well as desktops: long-press or switch to Flag mode to mark mines, and your first dig is always safe.
We added 3 hearts, so digging a mine costs a heart instead of ending the game, which makes it friendlier to learn.
Minesweeper at a glance
| Genre | Logic game |
|---|---|
| Price | Free, no download or sign-up |
| Controls | Tap, long-press to flag |
| Typical game length | 3 to 15 minutes |
| Lives | 3 per game |
| Works on | Phones, tablets and computers, in any modern browser |
| Daily challenge | Yes, the same puzzle for everyone each day |
How to play Minesweeper
- Dig a square. Your first dig is always safe.
- Read the numbers. Each shows how many mines touch that square.
- Flag mines. Long-press, or switch to Flag mode.
- Clear every safe square. To win.
Rules
- Digging a mine costs a heart; 3 hearts per game.
- Empty squares automatically open their neighbors.
Levels and difficulty
Easy is 9×9 with 10 mines, Medium is 12×12 with 24 mines, and Hard is 14×14 with 40 mines.
Scoring
Winning scores a base amount by difficulty, minus time, plus a bonus for hearts left. Daily challenge scores can be shared with friends.
Tips and strategy for Minesweeper
- A "1" touching only one unopened square means that square is a mine.
- If a number already has all its mines flagged, its other neighbors are safe.
- Look for the 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns along walls.
- Flag as you go to keep the board readable.
History of the game
Minesweeper became world famous when Microsoft included it with Windows 3.1 in 1992, building on earlier mine-finding games from the 1980s.
How we built and tested Minesweeper
Mines are placed after your first dig so it is always safe, and we tested full games on every difficulty in automated runs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the first move safe?
Yes, the first dig and its neighbors never contain mines.
How do I flag on a phone?
Long-press a square, or tap the mode button to switch to Flag.