Minesweeper: A thrilling computer puzzle game

Minesweeper is a classic single-player puzzle video game that challenges players to clear a rectangular board containing hidden “mines” without detonating any of them. It’s known for its blend of logic, deduction, and a touch of calculated risk, and became widely popular as it was bundled with various versions of Microsoft Windows starting in the early 1990s.

Here’s a comprehensive overview:

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The Goal

The primary goal of Minesweeper is to uncover all the squares on the board that do not contain a mine.

How to Play

1. The Board: The game starts with a grid of identical, unrevealed squares.
2. First Click: In most modern versions, the very first click you make will always be safe and will never detonate a mine. Often, the first click will reveal an empty area and a cascade of other empty squares.
3. Left-Click (Reveal):
   • Clicking an unrevealed square with the left mouse button reveals what’s underneath.
   • If it’s a mine: Game over! You lose.
   • If it’s empty: The square will clear, and if it has no adjacent mines, it will automatically clear all adjacent empty squares and numbered squares in a “cascade” or “flood fill” effect, until it hits squares with numbers.
   • If it’s a number: The square reveals a number (1 through 8). This number indicates exactly how many mines are located in the eight surrounding squares (horizontally, vertically, and diagonally).
4. Right-Click (Flag/Question Mark):
   • Clicking an unrevealed square with the right mouse button cycles through states:
     • Flag: Marks the square with a flag, indicating you believe there’s a mine there. This is crucial for tracking known mines. You cannot left-click a flagged square (it’s protected).
     • Question Mark (optional): Some versions include a question mark, used when you’re uncertain whether a square is a mine or not. It’s a temporary marker.
     • Empty: Removes any flag or question mark.
5. Chording/Double-Click (Advanced Move):
   • Once a numbered square has been revealed, and you have correctly flagged all the mines adjacent to it (so the number of flags matches the number on the square), you can “chord” it.
   • To chord, you typically left-click an already revealed number (or sometimes click both mouse buttons simultaneously) after you’ve placed the correct number of flags around it.
   • This action will automatically reveal all the remaining unflagged adjacent squares. If you’ve made a mistake and flagged an incorrect square, or haven’t flagged all the mines, this will cause you to detonate a mine and lose. It’s a powerful way to quickly clear areas.

Elements of the Game Board

• Unrevealed Square: A grey square that hasn’t been clicked yet.
• Empty Square: A clear, empty square, meaning it has no adjacent mines. These often appear in large clusters.
• Numbered Square (1-8): A square containing a digit, indicating how many mines are in its 8 surrounding squares.
• Mine: The hidden explosives you must avoid. Revealed if clicked accidentally.
• Flag: A red flag placed by the player to mark a suspected mine.
• Question Mark: An optional marker for uncertain squares.

Standard Difficulties

Minesweeper typically comes with a few standard difficulty settings:

• Beginner: Smallest board (e.g., 8×8 or 10×10) with the fewest mines (e.g., 10 mines).
• Intermediate: Medium board (e.g., 16×16) with a moderate number of mines (e.g., 40 mines).
• Expert: Largest board (e.g., 30×16) with the most mines (e.g., 99 mines).
• Custom: Allows players to set their own board dimensions and number of mines.

Strategies and Tips

• Look for Patterns:
  • 1-1: If you see two ‘1’s next to each other, and the first ‘1’ only has one unrevealed square, that’s usually a mine. More generally, if you have X 1 1 Y, where X is already clear, and Y are unrevealed, often the mine for the first ‘1’ is the square adjacent to the second ‘1’.
  • 1-2-1: A very common pattern. If you see X 1 2 1 Y, where X and Y are unrevealed, and the 1‘s have exactly one unrevealed square each, those two squares are mines.
  • Edges/Corners: A ‘1’ in a corner or along an edge is often easy to deduce. If a ‘1’ is in a corner and has only one unrevealed adjacent square, that must be a mine.
• Use Flags: Flagging known mines is essential. It helps you keep track, prevent accidental clicks, and allows you to use chording effectively.
• Chording: Master this technique to speed up your game dramatically.
• Deduction and Logic: Minesweeper is all about logical deduction. Use the numbers to eliminate possibilities and pinpoint mine locations.
• Guessing (When Necessary): Sometimes, especially in dense minefields, you’ll reach a point where pure logic won’t give you a guaranteed safe move. In these situations, you might have to make an educated guess. Try to choose the square with the highest probability of being safe or the lowest probability of being a mine.
• Clear Large Areas First: Early in the game, try to clear large empty areas, as they provide more numbers and clues.

History and Appeal

Minesweeper’s origins date back to the 1980s, but it became a household name when it was included with Windows 3.1 in 1992. Its popularity grew due to its accessibility, simple rules, and challenging nature. It exercises logical thinking, pattern recognition, and careful planning. Despite its age, it remains a beloved puzzle game, with many modern online versions and variations available.