Play Minesweeper Online
Clear the grid without stepping on a single mine.
How to Play Minesweeper
Modes: Beginner · Intermediate · Expert · Daily
Minesweeper is a logic game: reveal every square that does not hide a mine, and flag every mine.
Left-click (or tap) a square to reveal it. If it has a mine, you lose. If it shows a number, that is how many mines touch it.
Right-click (or long-press) to flag a suspected mine. Clicking a revealed number that already has the right flags reveals its neighbors — that is a chord.
Rules
The number on a revealed square tells you how many mines are in the 8 surrounding squares.
Your first click is always safe — a mine is never under your first square.
Flag all mines to win; revealing a mine ends the game.
Scoring
| Win | solve the board |
| Time | fastest solve wins |
History & Origins of Minesweeper
Minesweeper began as the 1960s mainframe game “Cube”, was adapted for Microsoft Windows in 1990, and became one of the most widely played single-player games of all time.
Its core logic — a number tells you how many mines touch that cell — turns the field into a deductive grid where careful reading beats luck.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Clicking blind in the middle of the field; start from an open safe region.
- Forgetting to flag every mine a number demands.
- Opening cells next to unflagged numbers — a hidden mine is often just one missing flag away.
Tips & Strategy
Start from a corner or edge — the first click is safe, then use the numbers to deduce outward.
If a “1” touches exactly one hidden square, that square is a mine — flag it.
When a number is already surrounded by the right amount of flags, chord to clear its neighbors quickly.
Use the Hint button when stuck — it highlights a provably safe square.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Minesweeper free to play?
- Yes — Minesweeper on ThinkyPlay is completely free, with no download and no sign-up.
- Is the first click always safe?
- Yes — a mine is never placed under your first click, so every game starts with a fair opening.
- Can I play Minesweeper on my phone?
- Yes — tap to reveal, long-press to flag, and tap a satisfied number to chord. Works on any device.
- How do I win at Minesweeper?
- Reveal every safe square and flag every mine. Your best solve time is saved on your device.
- What does the number in a Minesweeper cell mean?
- It counts how many mines sit among the eight surrounding cells.
- Can I finish Minesweeper without guessing?
- Classic minesweeper can require a guess in rare endgames, but most of our boards are fully solvable by logic.