How to play Mine Finder
Use the open numbers to flag every mine in the field — every puzzle can be solved by logic, without guessing. Also known as Minesweeper-style logic puzzle, No-guess minefield.
The rules
- Each open number counts the mines in the eight squares around it.
- Open blank squares have no mines around them.
- Closed squares are either safe or hide a mine; the total number of mines is given.
- Flag every mine — the puzzle is solved when all of them are found.
Playing Mine Finder on Puzzle Solvers
- Choose a field and a difficulty, then press New Puzzle.
- Tap a closed square to flag a mine, again to mark it safe, again to clear. Drag to do several.
- Numbers turn green when they have all their flags, red when they have too many.
- Hint shows the next safe square or mine and why — single numbers, pairs of numbers and the mine total.
Using the Mine Finder solver
- Choose the field size and type the open numbers (or press Sample).
- Press Solve and step through: single numbers, pairs of numbers and the total.
A worked example
A 1 next to a 1 along a wall: the squares the second 1 sees that the first doesn’t are safe.
A 2 with only two closed neighbours: both are mines — and any number already touching them may now be satisfied.
Strategies
- Full numbers. A number with exactly that many closed neighbours: they are all mines.
- Satisfied numbers. A number that already touches its full count of flags: its other neighbours are safe.
- 1-2-1 and friends. Two numbers that share squares: compare them — the difference often fixes the squares only one of them sees.
- The total. Near the end, the mine total can decide the last few squares.
- Work from the edges of the open area. That’s where the numbers give the most information.
Common mistakes
- Flagging a square because it ‘looks likely’ — every mine here can be proved.
- Forgetting diagonal neighbours when counting.
- Ignoring the mine total at the end.
Where it comes from
The minefield game became famous on home computers in the 1990s. Logic puzzles built on its numbers — with no guessing — are a popular twist.
Frequently asked questions
Is there ever a 50/50 guess?
No — every puzzle is generated and checked so that each mine can be found by logic.
What does a blank open square mean?
It has no mines among its eight neighbours.
Is there always one answer?
Yes — every puzzle here has exactly one solution.
Can I solve a position from the game?
Yes — open the Mine Finder Solver, type the open numbers and the mine total, and press Solve.
Keep going
- Play Mine Findera fresh puzzle every time
- Mine Finder Solverstep by step, every move explained
- MosaicShade squares so that every number equals the count of shaded squares in the…
- Fleet FinderPlace the whole fleet so that each row and column has the right number of…
- Tap ShadeShade one connected wall so that every clue lists the runs of shaded squares…
All guides: How to play every puzzle and game.