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Minesweeper 1-4 Pattern

A 1 and a 4 sit side by side, surrounded by covered squares. The three squares in the far-right column have mines. The three squares in the far-left column are safe.

See the pattern step by step

A 1 and a 4 sit side by side in the middle of a three-row, four-column board. Ten covered squares surround them: three in each outer column and four shared above and below. Both clues count the same four middle squares. Subtracting their counts gives three more mines in the right column than in the left. Each outer column has only three squares. Flags mark all three squares in the rightmost column as mines. Circles mark all three in the leftmost column as safe. The four shared squares remain unknown and hold one mine.
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Board example

The left column plus the shared group holds 1 mine. The right column plus the same shared group holds 4 mines. So the right column has three more mines than the left column.

Before

A 1 and a 4 sit side by side in the middle of a three-row, four-column board. Ten covered squares surround them: three in each outer column and four shared above and below.

After

Flags mark all three squares in the rightmost column as mines. Circles mark all three in the leftmost column as safe. The four shared squares remain unknown and hold one mine.

Why it works

The right column has only three squares. To hold three more mines, all three must have mines, and the left column must have none. The shared group holds the remaining mine. The same rule works for 2-5 and 3-6. Their shared groups hold two and three mines.

Both clues count the same four middle squares. Subtracting their counts gives three more mines in the right column than in the left. Each outer column has only three squares.

The rule

The numbers share four unknown squares above and below them. The 1 also touches the three squares in the left column. The 4 also touches the three squares in the right column.

What to check

Each outer column must contain exactly three unknown squares. The four middle unknown squares must touch both numbers. You can turn the whole shape, then compare the same groups. Subtract known mines before you use the remaining counts.

Try this board

Read the board, then choose

The numbers share four unknown squares above and below them. The 1 also touches the three squares in the left column. The 4 also touches the three squares in the right column.

A three-row, four-column board has a 1 and a 4 in the two middle squares of its middle row. All ten surrounding squares are covered. Four squares above and below the clues touch both numbers. The left and right outer columns each have three squares. Subtracting the counts requires three more mines on the right than on the left. This proves all three right squares mined and all three left squares safe. One mine remains unresolved in the shared group.

Choose a covered square. Then decide whether it is safe, has a mine, or needs more information.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Why this answer is correct

A: Safe · B: Not enough information · C: Not enough information · D: Mine · E: Safe · F: Mine · G: Safe · H: Not enough information · I: Not enough information · J: Mine

The shown covered squares are the only unknown squares around these numbers. Gaps stand for open squares or the board edge. Check every nearby square before you apply the result. Flags in these examples mark known mines.

Try the same idea with other numbers

Read the board, then choose

Try the same idea with other numbers

A three-row, four-column board has 2 and 5 in the center of its middle row, with ten covered squares around them. Both numbers touch the four squares directly above and below them. Each number also touches its own outer column of three squares. Their count difference is three. The right column must therefore contain three mines, and the left column must be safe. Two mines remain unresolved among the four shared squares. No surrounding square is yet flagged or opened.

Choose a covered square. Then decide whether it is safe, has a mine, or needs more information.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Why this answer is correct

A: Safe · B: Not enough information · C: Not enough information · D: Mine · E: Safe · F: Mine · G: Safe · H: Not enough information · I: Not enough information · J: Mine

The shown covered squares are the only unknown squares around these numbers. Gaps stand for open squares or the board edge. Check every nearby square before you apply the result. Flags in these examples mark known mines.

Try the same idea with other numbers

Read the board, then choose

Try the same idea with other numbers

A three-row, four-column board shows 3 and 6 in the middle row’s center, surrounded by ten covered squares. Four squares above and below the numbers form a shared group. Three more squares lie in each outer column. The 6 needs three more mines than the 3, forcing all three right-column squares mined and all three left-column squares safe. The shared group contains three mines, but their positions remain unresolved. All ten surrounding squares are still covered.

Choose a covered square. Then decide whether it is safe, has a mine, or needs more information.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Why this answer is correct

A: Safe · B: Not enough information · C: Not enough information · D: Mine · E: Safe · F: Mine · G: Safe · H: Not enough information · I: Not enough information · J: Mine

The shown covered squares are the only unknown squares around these numbers. Gaps stand for open squares or the board edge. Check every nearby square before you apply the result. Flags in these examples mark known mines.

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