Minesweeper is the classic logic puzzle where you open squares and avoid hidden mines. This free version has the three well known boards, a smiley face, a timer and a mine counter. It runs in your browser with no download or sign up, works on phones and computers, and keeps working offline once loaded.
Inspired by: Minesweeper on Windows (1990s).
How to play Minesweeper
- Choose Beginner (9x9 with 10 mines), Intermediate (16x16 with 40) or Expert (16x30 with 99).
- Open a square. Your first click is always safe.
- A number tells you how many mines touch that square, counting all 8 neighbours.
- Flag the squares you think hide mines. The counter shows how many mines are left.
- Open every square that is not a mine to win. Your score is your time in seconds, so lower is better.
Controls
- Keyboard: This game is played with the mouse or touch. P or Esc pauses.
- Mouse: Left click opens a square. Right click flags it. Click a number with the right amount of flags around it to open its other neighbours.
- Touch screen: Tap to open. Press and hold to flag, or switch on the flag button at the top and tap. Drag to scroll the big Expert board.
Tips to score higher
- Start in a corner or open spot. Big empty areas open up many squares at once.
- A 1 with only one closed neighbour means that neighbour is a mine. Flag it.
- When the flags around a number match it, click the number to open all the rest around it.
- Look at two numbers side by side. Their shared squares often show which cells are safe.
- Do not guess if you can reason. Guess only when there is no safe move left.
The story behind Minesweeper
Minesweeper grew out of older mine hunting puzzle games from the 1960s and 1970s, and it became a household name when it shipped with Windows 3.1 in 1992. For years it sat in the Games folder of office and school computers, and it taught millions of people how to use a mouse, especially the right click. In many Indian homes and computer labs, a quick game of Minesweeper was what you played when the teacher stepped out. The smiley face, the red digital counters and the nervous first click are still easy to remember.
Questions players ask
Is this Minesweeper free to play?
Yes. It is free with no sign up, no download and no in-game purchases.
Is the first click always safe?
Yes. The mines are placed after your first click, and the squares around it are kept free of mines too.
How do I place a flag on my phone?
Press and hold a square, or tap the flag button at the top to switch to flag mode and then tap squares.
What is chording?
If a number has as many flags around it as its value, clicking the number opens all its other neighbours at once. It is a fast way to play.
How is the score counted?
Your score is the time in seconds to clear the board, so a lower number is better. Best times are saved in your browser for each board size.