Minesweeper has a reputation for requiring luck. That reputation is partly earned — some board configurations genuinely require a 50/50 guess. But most players guess far more than necessary because they don't know the patterns that make deduction possible.
Here's how to solve dramatically more of every board without guessing.
Your first click should be somewhere in the middle of the board. Middle cells, when they reveal an empty region, create large openings with many numbered cells on the border — giving you immediate information to work with. Corner clicks often reveal small areas.
A "2" doesn't mean "there are two mines somewhere nearby." It means exactly two mines are touching this specific cell — including diagonals. Every number is a precise constraint, not a vague warning.
When you see a "1" with seven of its eight neighbours already revealed, you know exactly which one unrevealed neighbour contains the mine. Flag it. This creates a cascade — flagging that mine might satisfy the "1" next to it, which then tells you the cell on its other side is safe.
A number is "satisfied" when the count of flagged mines touching it equals the number itself. Every other unrevealed cell touching a satisfied number is safe to click.
Along the border of cleared territory, you'll frequently see a 1-2-1 sequence. The mines are always on the two cells flanking the outer cells of the 1s — never under the 2. This is completely deterministic. Read the full 1-2-1 guide here.
Some board states are mathematically ambiguous — the mine could be in cell A or cell B with equal probability. In this case, guess the cell that, if wrong, leaves more of the board solvable. Avoid guessing at isolated corners where being wrong leaves a completely dead end.
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