How to Solve Minesweeper Puzzle: Tips & Strategies

There’s a high chance that you already have some familiarity with Minesweeper, especially if you grew up in the 1990s when the game was included free of charge on Windows computers. However, that doesn’t mean that you necessarily know how to solve Minesweeper puzzles. And even if you were a whizz at Minesweeper back then, we could all do with a refresh from time to time.

We’ll run through some handy tips on how to complete a Minesweeper puzzle below. Want to test yourself without reading our hints? You play the game completely free of charge at 247minesweeper.com.

Understanding the Basics of Minesweeper

The better you understand Minesweeper, the better your chances of completing the puzzle. With this game, the aim is to open up every non-mine cell on the board. You’ll do that by deducing where the mines on the board are located, and then marking those mines with a flag.

There’s no scoring involved in Minesweeper. The aim of the game is to complete it as quickly as possible. How difficult it is to complete the puzzle will depend on the difficulty level you select. At 247minesweeper.com, we offer four levels.

• Easy: 9x9 board/10 mines.
• Medium: 16x16 board/40 mines.
• Hard: 24x16/70 mines.
• Expert: 30x16/99 mines.

Key Strategies for Effective Gameplay

Even the best Minesweeper players don’t win every single game they play. Depending on the level you’re playing, you might have a success rate of anywhere from 30 - 50%, especially at the higher levels.

While there’s no way to guarantee success, you can improve your chances by adopting a few key strategies. Make the following tips a fundamental part of your play, and you’ll be giving yourself the best possible chance of success.

Look to the Edges

You should always start with the corners of the board. Why? Well, that’s what all the elite players do. If that’s not good enough for you: the corners are generally safer, and can quickly open up large sections of the board. The middle, in contrast, is more complex. If you start in the middle, you’ll be starting from a point of difficulty.

Memorize Patterns

There are common patterns in Minesweeper that it pays to be aware of. For instance, 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns always have the same solution. If you can memorize and spot those patterns, you’ll know exactly where to place your flags when they show up, helping you to complete the puzzle as quickly as you can.

Use Logic

Minesweeper is a puzzle game. As such, you’ll rely on your powers of logical reasoning to succeed. If you’re not sure where to click, put your brain to work — it might just tell you the solution!

Utilize Chains

You can use chains to open up big areas of the board. By clicking a safe cell, you can automatically reveal other safe cells. For instance, if you start the game by clicking in a corner, you’ll likely see that many cells become open. You can use chains later in the game by identifying safe areas, which will help you to complete the game more quickly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Minesweeper

Minesweeper is difficult enough; don’t make things more challenging for yourself! Avoid these common errors, and you’ll increase your chances of success.

Random Clicking

The only “random” click you should make is when you first start the game (and even then, it’s best to choose a square towards one of the corners). From there, use your logic and reasoning skills to determine which cells are safe.

Rushing Your Selections

You’ll be up against the clock when completing your Minesweeper puzzle, but be mindful of trying to do things too quickly. You’ll be more likely to make a mistake if you rush your selections. Remember: it’s better to do things slowly and correctly, rather than quickly and incorrectly!

Not Taking a Methodical Approach

You’ll find it easier to complete a Minesweeper puzzle if you move methodically around the board. It’s best to complete one section and then move on. Unless you’re really stuck, that is, in which case unlocking other parts of the board can be beneficial.

Giving Up Too Quickly

Finally, remember that Minesweeper is a puzzle game, so things will get difficult at some stage. Don’t give up too quickly — even the most challenging Minesweeper puzzles can be completed if you dig deep and put your brain to work.

Advanced Techniques for Solving Puzzles

Taking the above tips should help you to complete a big percentage of Minesweeper puzzles, especially if you’re playing at the lower levels. However, there will be times when you become stuck about which to make. If that happens, you can use the following techniques.

Develop Your Probability Skills

It’d be nice if you could always click with confidence, but that’s not always possible. There’ll be instances where you have multiple options without knowing for certain which cells are safe and which contain mines.

In those moments, it’s best to assign a probability to each cell. If your calculations determine that a cell is 70+% safe, then you can click it. If it’s only 20-40% safe, then assign a flag. This isn’t a flawless method, but it can be useful. It’s ultimately like making an educated guess.

And Prediction Skills

You’re not just trying to complete a Minesweeper puzzle; you’re trying to do so as quickly as possible. By using your prediction skills, you can quickly determine which cells are likely to be safe and which may contain mines. For example, if an area is marked by many cells that read ‘1,’ then you’ll know that it’s a broadly safe area, allowing you to make decisions more quickly.

Play Minesweeper Today

Ready to put what you’ve learned into practice? At 247minesweeper.com, you can play Minesweeper on desktop or mobile, completely free of charge. You can choose from a variety of difficulty levels, and can even compete in our daily challenge, which puts you up against other users to see who can complete the puzzle in the fastest time.

DISCLAIMER: The games on this website are using PLAY (fake) money. No payouts will be awarded, there are no "winnings", as all games represented by 247 Games LLC are free to play. Play strictly for fun.