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03 Puzzle Minesweeper: the complete wiki
Minesweeper is the classic logic game: every number tells you how many mines are in the eight squares around it, and with that information you have to clear the whole field without stepping on one. On Vexply it’s free in your browser, with three boards and a first click that is always safe.
How to play
Controls
- Reveal
- Click or Enter
- Flag
- Right-click or F
- Open a number’s neighbors
- Click a number that already has all its flags
- Move and pause
- Arrow keys and P
- Phone
- Tap to reveal; press and hold for the other action
Modes and options
- Easy
- 9×9 with 10 mines: perfect for learning the patterns.
- Medium
- 16×16 with 40 mines.
- Hard
- 30×16 with 99 mines; on narrow screens the board turns vertical.
Modes with their own page
Rules
- Reveal a square: if it’s a mine you lose; if not, it shows how many mines surround it.
- A square with no mines around it opens all its neighbors by itself.
- Flag the squares where you know there is a mine.
- You win when every square that isn’t a mine is revealed (you don’t need to flag them all).
- Your first click is never a mine and always opens a free area.
Strategy
Most games are solved with a handful of recurring patterns. The best known is “1-2-1” along a wall: the mines sit under the two 1s and the middle square is safe. Another is “1-1” against an edge: the square touched only by the second 1 is safe.
Go deeper
Tips
- Start at the edges of open areas: that’s where all the information is.
- A 1 that touches a single hidden square: that square is a mine.
- If a number already has all its mines flagged, its other neighbors are safe: click the number to open them together.
- Only flag what you’re sure of; a wrong flag makes you open a mine.
- When no deduction is possible, pick the least likely square, away from high numbers.
Common mistakes
- Flagging on a hunch. A wrong flag makes you open a mine when chording and makes the counter lie.
- Guessing too early: there’s almost always a deduction left somewhere along an edge. Check them all before taking a risk.
- Reading each number on its own. Compare neighbouring numbers and subtract the mines you already flagged: that’s how safe cells appear.
- Flagging every mine before finishing: you win by uncovering the safe cells, flags aren’t required.
Mechanics
The tags that describe Minesweeper. Those with a page lead to similar games.
Glossary
- Chording
- Clicking a number that already has all its flags to open all its unflagged neighbors at once. A big time saver, but a wrong flag makes it open a mine.
- Flag
- A mark on a covered cell you know holds a mine. The mine counter subtracts flags placed; you don’t need to flag every mine to win.
- 1-2-1 pattern
- The numbers 1, 2 and 1 in a row against a wall of covered cells: the mines are opposite the two 1s and the cell opposite the 2 is safe.
- Safe first click
- In Vexply’s Minesweeper the first click is never a mine and always opens a clear area, so there’s somewhere to start deducing from.
FAQ
- Can the first click be a mine?
- No. Your first click is always safe and also opens a free area so you have somewhere to start.
- Can I play on my phone?
- Yes. The “Reveal / Flag” switch sets what a tap does, and a long press does the other action.
- Do you sometimes have to guess?
- Yes: in some positions no deduction is enough and you have to take a risk. It happens mostly on Hard.
- What happens if I leave a game halfway?
- Starting a new one with a game in progress asks for confirmation, and the unfinished game counts as a loss.