Minesweeper tips
Minesweeper tips: find safe moves from the numbers
A Minesweeper number counts mines in all touching squares, including diagonals. Subtract only confirmed neighbouring mines from that number. If none remain, the other covered neighbours are safe. If every remaining covered neighbour is needed, each is a mine.
Count all eight neighbours, not just the four sides
A number in the middle of the board can touch eight cells. A number on a straight edge has at most five neighbours, and a corner has three. Missing a diagonal is an easy way to misread a clue.
A flag is a note you placed, not proof supplied by the game. Only subtract a flagged square after you have established that it contains a mine. A guessed flag can make an unsafe square look safe.
Work out how many mines are still unaccounted for
Use this calculation for one revealed clue: mines still needed = clue number minus confirmed adjacent mines. Then compare the answer with its remaining covered, unconfirmed neighbours.
Suppose a 3 touches one confirmed mine and two other covered squares. Both covered squares must contain mines. If there are three other covered squares instead, only two are mines; that clue alone does not tell you which two.
| Clue | Confirmed mines | Other covered cells | What follows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 | All three other cells are safe. |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | Both other cells are mines. |
| 3 | 1 | 3 | Two of the three are mines; no exact positions yet. |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | The information is inconsistent. Recheck your assumptions. |
Compare clues that share covered squares
When a clue cannot resolve a square on its own, compare it with a nearby clue. The shared cells can account for some or all of the second clue's remaining mines.
Imagine one clue needs exactly one mine among cells A and B. Another clue needs exactly one mine among A, B, and C. A or B already accounts for that mine, so C is safe. You still do not know which of A and B contains the mine.
If the second clue instead needs two mines among A, B, and C, then C must be a mine. One mine is in A or B, and the extra one has nowhere else to go. These deductions only hold when the listed cells are all the unresolved neighbours of each clue.
- Write down the cells each clue actually touches.
- Subtract confirmed mines before comparing clues.
- Do not apply a memorised pattern when extra covered neighbours change the counts.
Know when the board has stopped giving you proof
Recheck the edges of every open area before guessing. A safe reveal in one corner may uncover a clue that resolves another part of the board.
Some positions remain ambiguous: more than one mine arrangement satisfies the visible clues. Do not call a square safe just because you cannot see another move. This guide explains deductions, not a method that guarantees every board can be cleared without risk.
Common questions
Do Minesweeper numbers include diagonal mines?
Yes. A clue counts mines in every adjacent square, including the four diagonals.
Does placing a flag confirm a mine?
No. A flag records your choice. A wrong flag can make later deductions wrong too.
Can I always solve Minesweeper without guessing?
Not necessarily. A position can have several mine arrangements consistent with the same visible clues.
Rules and sources
Examples checked against the game logic used on PCder. These tips explain decisions, not guaranteed outcomes.