Reading numbers

Level: Basic

The number on an open cell is the mine count among its 8 neighbors.

Every deduction in Minesweeper starts from a single number. The number on an open cell tells you how many mines are hidden among the up-to-eight cells surrounding it.

For example, if a cell shows 1, exactly one of its eight neighbors is a mine. A 2 means two; a 0 (blank cell) means there are no mines nearby at all, so it automatically opens up a wide area.

Once you truly grasp this one rule, every other technique is just a matter of combining these numbers. Start by getting into the habit of telling apart the 'already-open cells' and the 'still-closed cells' around a number.

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