Minesweeper Hacks: Tips to Beat the Game Quickly

When first starting out with Minesweeper, the objective is simply to clear the grid. Once you start to do this more frequently than you lose, though, the attention turns to beating the game quickly.

While you might not beat any of the incredible Minesweeper World Records anytime soon, there are several ways to increase your speed and become a better player. Let's take a look.

Understanding Minesweeper Basics

The premise of Minesweeper is pretty easy to understand. You have a grid of squares, which fall into one of three categories;

• Mines - click one of these, and it's game over.
• Clear - cells that are not adjacent to any mine.
• Numerical - cells that are adjacent to one or more mines.

The aim of the game is to clear the grid by clicking every square apart from the mines. So, on a beginner 9x9 grid with 10 mines, you will need to reveal 71 of the 81 cells. However, when you click a clear box, all free adjacent cells are revealed. So, you could complete the game in a handful of clicks. Of course, fewer clicks is one of the best ways to beat the game fast, which is why clearing large sections in a click or two should be the goal.

The easiest Minesweeper hack, then, is to play speed runs on the beginner setting with just 10 mines to avoid. Once you can beat this consistently in under 2 minutes, moving up to medium (16x16, 40 mines) and beyond is an option.

Common Minesweeper Mistakes to Avoid

Before considering the steps that can help you win fast at Minesweeper, it's important to know the common mistakes that could hold you back on speed runs and general play alike. Some of the most telling include;

• Clicking too fast, resulting in accidental clicks that hit a mine.
• Choosing a website with slow responses to your clicks.
• Placing flags in isolated cells where there is no risk of you making a mistake.
• Not knowing shortcuts, such as right clicking for flags rather than clicking the mine icon.
• Dwelling for too long in situations where you have to guess between two cells.
• Guessing where further hints could be gained by clearing nearby sections.
• Jumping straight into hard or expert levels rather than mastering easy and medium.
• Starting in the middle of the grid, where you are likely to gain fewer clear clues.
• Placing flags before you're certain as this can throw your logic off completely.
• Playing with distractions like other browser tabs open.

And the worst mistake is to continually take breaks from the game. While you don't have to play daily, infrequent practice will significantly limit your results.

Essential Strategies for Faster Wins

Winning Minesweeper is always the first step to success, and a host of strategies to calculate your next moves will help you do that. However, if speed is a concern, the following ideas are for you:

Play Several Clicks in a Row

Sometimes, the grid develops in a way in which you can instantly see where several definite empty squares are placed. Clicking through those quickly might not always allow you to clear a section in the least amount of moves, but it will allow you to solve the board in the fastest time.

In this example, you can see that the bottom half has several obvious mine placement, which allows you to eliminate several other squares as safe. On the left side, there is only one mine that can be touched by all of the 1s currently seen. So, you can clear the remaining three. On the right side, you can instantly see that the second bottom square on the right column is safe. Once you click that, you can subsequently clear the other two safe squares.

The results? The bottom section cleared within a few seconds. Now, if you stopped and thought about your next move in between each click, that same section many have taken 30 seconds or more.

Play without Using Flags

As already stated, placing flags in isolated spots where mines are clearly held can slow you down. Using the example from above, you know that the three remaining cells all contain mines. Given that there is no need to click any adjacent cells or pay attention to this section, it's easier to move on.

Even when some adjacent cells need to be clicked, there is no need to place flags when you know a mine is there, especially if this is the only local mine.

At the top of the same grid, you can see that there is a guaranteed mine in the third cell on row three, as well as the one remaining cell of row four. This info allows you to play two quick moves, which will make it even clearer that you know the placement of two mines. So, just play those two moves as shown.

Naturally, from here you can see further steps, like the placement of all three mines surrounding the newly revealed '3', which subsequently shows three clear cells on row 1. The fact you have revealed this without wasting time on a flag placement can make all the difference.

The Five Click Start

The five click start may be a little risky as it could see you lose within the first five clicks (although not the first click as it is impossible to hit a mine with your starting move), but when it goes well it can get you off to the perfect beginning.

To perform this move, you should start with a click somewhere near the middle. This should be followed by a single click in the top left, top right, bottom right, and bottom left regions. If you avoid mines, you'll be left with a good starting point in all five areas. It can be particularly effective when playing a larger grid, and could result in something like this:

The game is already open with several mines clearly identifiable. It is a huge advantage in the bid for a quick time.

Advanced Tips for Experienced Players

Strategic play should always be the priority when looking to win more frequently and develop faster playing speed. Nonetheless, additional tips may be incorporated by more experienced players. They include;

• Stop using the flag icon before switching to flag placement mode. Opt for right clicking instead as it will save valuable seconds.
• Consider playing custom games. You can create easier grids for training your speed, and harder grids to develop stronger solving skills.
• Incorporate some speed runs where you focus solely on making quick decisions, even if it means making mistakes.
• Invest in an ergonomic mouse and good monitor while also working on your hand-eye coordination for smoother, more accurate movements.
• Consider removing the sounds and playing background music that allows you to enter a more concentrated mindset.

Finally, try to stop watching the clock. It consumes time, causes distractions, and adds pressure. Whether playing traditional Minesweeper or games like Valentine's Day Minesweeper, learning to simply play the grid with a natural strategy will deliver the best possible results.

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.