Introduction
Minesweeper is a game of pure logic and deduction. Unlike many games that involve reflexes or luck, Minesweeper rewards careful thinking and pattern recognition. This guide will take you from understanding the basics to confidently tackling Expert boards on PlayMore.gg.
Understanding the Numbers
Each number on the board tells you exactly how many mines are in the eight surrounding cells. A "1" means one adjacent mine, a "2" means two, and so on. The key insight is that this information is always complete and accurate — there are no tricks.
The 1-1 Pattern
When two 1s are adjacent and share some unrevealed cells, you can often determine safe cells. If two consecutive 1s along an edge share two unrevealed cells, the mine must be in the shared cell, making other adjacent unrevealed cells safe.
The 1-2 Pattern
When a 1 is next to a 2 along a wall, and the 1 is already satisfied by one mine candidate, the remaining mine for the 2 must be on the opposite side. Learning to spot this pattern instantly will speed up your solving.
Corner and Edge Logic
Cells in corners and along edges have fewer neighbors, making them easier to analyze. Always start your deduction from edges and work inward. Corner cells are adjacent to only three cells, so a corner "1" eliminates many possibilities.
When to Guess
Sometimes Minesweeper requires a guess, especially at the very start or in 50/50 situations. When you must guess, prefer clicking cells with more neighbors already revealed — this gives you more information from a single click.
Flagging Strategy
Right-clicking to flag mines is optional but helpful for tracking. Some speed players never flag, relying on mental tracking instead. For beginners, flag generously — it helps prevent accidental clicks on known mines.
Speed Techniques
For competitive times on PlayMore.gg, speed matters. Learn to use chording (clicking on a revealed number when the right number of adjacent flags are placed) to reveal multiple cells at once. This dramatically reduces the number of clicks needed.
Difficulty Progression
Start with Beginner (9x9, 10 mines) until you can win consistently. Move to Intermediate (16x16, 40 mines) to practice larger board management. Expert (16x30, 99 mines) is the ultimate challenge where all your skills come together.
Conclusion
Minesweeper mastery comes from practice and pattern recognition. The more you play, the faster you'll spot common configurations. Challenge yourself on the PlayMore.gg leaderboards to see how your times compare.