Minesweeper Hints and Tips

Minesweeper is the most successful game of all time and has been the favoured way of killing time for Microsoft Windows PC users since 1990. Like many other classic puzzle and logic games, minesweeper relies on simplicity, refusing to bow to the pressure of 3D or 64-bit graphics and sticking with the same format and layout for twenty-two years. It is the simple multi-tile layout and left-right click controls that have made Minesweeper so successful, therefore there has never been a reason to change it. In addition to providing hours of enjoyment, Minesweeper has also served as a teacher to many people unfamiliar with how to control a mouse.

If you have never heard of, or had the pleasure of playing Minesweeper, the aim of the game is to successfully uncover hidden mines by selecting square tiles on a grid. Every time a square tile is selected, it will unveil a clear square, a numbered square or (hopefully not) a square with a mine. Selecting the latter will mean you have uncovered a mine directly; this will result in it exploding and ending the game in the process.

The aim is to locate these mines without clicking on them. The numbered squares are there to help you in locating the mines, with each number indicating how many mines are within the immediate squares of that particular square. If you feel you have discovered a mine, a flag can be placed on the square in question.

Minesweeper is an incredibly easy game to play, this is probably a reason why it is so successful. It can also be very difficult, even experienced players run into trouble identifying mines.

Tutorial Video

Guessing

Blind guessing is always going to come into play with Minesweeper. While a certain amount of deduction is used to successfully flag mines, on occasions a guess is needed, and guessing right is always satisfying. The most common occasion for guessing is when you are met with a 50/50 chance of there being a hidden mine. The best option when it comes to guessing is not to think about it - just get it over with. Too much deliberation will only eat up time and effect your concentration.

Ignore the clock

All Minesweeper players love to complete a game as quickly as possible; however, it is important not to let the clock consume you. Looking at the time constantly will cause you to panic, often forcing you into a bad move. Play quickly by all means, but never quicker than you can think, this is best done by ignoring the clock altogether.

Stay Focussed

During a game of Minesweeper it is important to concentrate on the task at hand. Taking your eye off the ball (or in this case mine) will result in simple mistakes, that can bring an early end to a game.

Practice

Even the experts recommend this tip as the number one of all. Practice makes perfect and playing regularly will allow you to learn patterns and play quicker.