The Complete Minesweeper Rules

What the numbers mean and how you win.

Minesweeper is a logic puzzle in which you open every cell except the mines hidden in the grid. Open every non-mine cell to win; open a mine and the game ends on the spot.

Opening a cell reveals either a number or a blank. A number is the count of mines among the up-to-eight cells touching it. A blank cell (0) means there are no mines nearby, so its neighbors automatically open along with it.

Mark cells you judge to be mines with a flag so you don't open them by mistake. A flag is only a clue, not a confirmation of a correct answer — so the key is to pin down positions with the logic of the numbers.