How to Play Minesweeper

Minesweeper is a single-player puzzle game. The objective is to clear a rectangular board containing hidden "mines" or bombs without detonating any of them. To do this, you use clues about the number of neighboring mines in each field.

The Basics

1. Start Clicking: Begin by clicking on any random square. Your first click is always safe. This will reveal a number or a blank area.
2. Understand the Numbers: The number on a revealed square tells you exactly how many mines are in the eight squares immediately surrounding it. For example, a "1" means there is one mine in the adjacent eight squares. A "2" means there are two, and so on.
3. Clear Blank Areas: If you click a square and it reveals a blank area (no number), it means there are zero mines in the surrounding eight squares. The game will automatically clear all adjacent blank squares and their numbered neighbors for you. This can open up large portions of the board at once.
4. Flag the Mines: If you use logic to determine that a square certainly contains a mine, right-click it to place a flag. This prevents you from accidentally clicking it later. You can right-click again to unflag it if you change your mind.
5. Winning the Game: You win the game when you have successfully revealed every square that does *not* contain a mine. You do not need to flag all the mines to win.

An Example of Logic

Imagine a revealed square shows a "1". If you look at its eight neighboring squares and only one of them is un-revealed, you know for certain that the un-revealed square must contain a mine. You should flag it immediately!