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How to Find Mines in Minesweeper

Look for a 1 that touches just one covered square. If every other square around it is safe, the covered square has the mine. Include the corners when you count.

Try this pattern

See the pattern step by step

A 3 by 3 board has one covered square at the top right. The 1 beside it touches that square. All other squares are open. The 1 touches just one unknown square, at the top right. With one mine still needed, that square must have the mine. A flag marks the known mine at the top right. The three 1s and five empty open squares stay the same.
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Board example

Look at the middle 1. Seven squares around it are open and safe. Only the top-right square is still covered. The mine must be there.

Before

A 3 by 3 board has one covered square at the top right. The 1 beside it touches that square. All other squares are open.

After

A flag marks the known mine at the top right. The three 1s and five empty open squares stay the same.

Why it works

The 1 counts one mine around it. The seven open squares are safe, so the mine is in the top-right square. Place a flag there to mark the mine.

The 1 touches just one unknown square, at the top right. With one mine still needed, that square must have the mine.

The rule

Subtract the known mines around a number from its count. This gives the number of mines still to find. If you need 2 mines and have only 2 unknown squares, both squares have mines. The same rule works for other counts.

What to check

Check all squares around the number, including the corners. Count a mine once the numbers prove it. Keep any flag placed as a guess among the unknown squares.

Use the same rule for two or three mines

Subtract the known mines that touch a number. Then count its unknown squares. If a 2 still needs two mines and touches only two unknown squares, both have mines. If a 3 needs three mines in three unknown squares, all three have mines. The rule works whenever the remaining mine count equals the number of unknown squares.

Try this pattern

Use the numbers to choose your next move. Include the corners when you count. Squares outside the picture are open. Each flag marks a known mine.

Select every square you can prove has a mine.

111

See why

The 1 counts one mine around it. The seven open squares are safe, so the mine is in the top-right square. Place a flag there to mark the mine.

Read the board, then choose

The 2 touches exactly two covered squares and no known mines. Both covered squares must have mines. Apply the same rule to other numbers: subtract known mines, then compare the remaining mine count with the unknown squares. If the counts match, every unknown square has a mine.

The 2 touches exactly two covered squares and no known mines. Both covered squares must have mines. Apply the same rule to other numbers: subtract known mines, then compare the remaining mine count with the unknown squares. If the counts match, every unknown square has a mine.

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

A
B
Why this answer is correct

A: Mine · B: 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.

Read the board, then choose

Subtract the known mines that touch a number. Then count its unknown squares. If a 2 still needs two mines and touches only two unknown squares, both have mines. If a 3 needs three mines in three unknown squares, all three have mines. The rule works whenever the remaining mine count equals the number of unknown squares.

Subtract the known mines that touch a number. Then count its unknown squares. If a 2 still needs two mines and touches only two unknown squares, both have mines. If a 3 needs three mines in three unknown squares, all three have mines. The rule works whenever the remaining mine count equals the number of unknown squares.

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

A
B
C
Why this answer is correct

A: Mine · B: Mine · C: 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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