A small board to start on
Beginner is 9 squares by 9 with 10 mines. The first click opens a generous area, the numbers stay low, and a whole game takes a minute or two. It is the right board for learning the patterns, or for warming up before something bigger.
Like every board here, it can be solved without guessing. When a hint is useful, it shows you the exact numbers that make a square safe, which is the quickest way to learn to see it yourself.
How to play
Each number tells you how many mines touch that square, counting the eight squares around it. Use the numbers to work out where the mines are, flag them, and open every other square to clear the board.
With a mouse
- Left-click opens a square. Your first click is always safe and opens an area.
- Right-click places or removes a flag.
- When a number already has all its flags around it, click it (or click with the middle button, or both buttons together) to open the rest of its neighbours at once.
On a tablet or phone
- Tap opens a square. Press and hold to place a flag.
- The Reveal and Flag switch under the board changes what a tap does, if you prefer flagging with a tap.
- Tap a number whose flags are all placed to open around it.
- On big boards, pinch to zoom and drag to move around, or use the zoom buttons.
With a keyboard
Arrow keys move between squares, Space opens, F flags, and C or Enter opens around a number. H asks for a hint. Press ? on the board for the full list.
Hints
Hint lights up one square that is certainly safe (or certainly a mine) and the numbers that prove it, with one plain sentence explaining why. Each hint adds 10 seconds to your time, and your statistics count how many you used.
Ready for more?
When Beginner feels easy, move up to Intermediate, 16 by 16 with 40 mines.