Minesweeper

How to Play Minesweeper: Rules and Beginner Guide

The goal is to reveal all the safe squares on the board while avoiding hidden mines. However, figuring out which squares are safe requires careful thinking and sometimes a bit of luck.

The Main Objective

Your main objective in Minesweeper is to open all squares that contain numbers while avoiding squares that contain mines. The game presents a board filled with hidden squares. Some squares hide mines, while others contain numbers that help you identify where the mines are located.

At the beginning of the game, you won’t know which squares are safe. Because of this, your first few clicks often rely on luck. Your first click usually opens a safe area. If there are no mines nearby, the game may automatically reveal multiple connected squares.

However, sometimes the first click reveals only a single square. In that case, you may need to click another random square to continue exploring the board.

Understanding the Numbers

Once a square is revealed, you may see a number inside it. That number tells you how many mines are located in the eight surrounding squares.

For example:

• If a square shows the number 2, it means two mines are hidden among the eight squares surrounding it.
• If the number is 1, then only one of the surrounding squares contains a mine.

By analyzing these numbers and comparing nearby squares, you can gradually determine which squares are safe and which likely contain mines.

Expanding Safe Areas

When you click a square that has no mines around it, the game automatically reveals nearby empty squares. This helps you quickly open larger safe areas of the board. As more numbers appear, you can use logic to continue clearing safe spaces.

The game continues until you either reveal all safe squares (win) or click on a mine (lose).

FAQ of Minesweeper

When was the Minesweeper game created?

The modern Minesweeper game became widely known in 1990 when Microsoft included it in Microsoft Windows 3.0. Another game has also been created by Microsoft, which is called Spider Solitaire One Suit.

What are the controls for playing Minesweeper?

• Left-click to open a square.
• Right-click to place a flag on a square that you think contains a mine. This helps you avoid accidentally opening a dangerous square.

Who created the Minesweeper game?

The popular version of Minesweeper was created by Robert Donner and Curt Johnson at Microsoft.