Reading the numbers
Every number in Mines counts the mines in the eight squares around it. Learn to read them, find certain mines and open the squares a flag makes safe. How Mines works · lesson 1 of 1.
Read this lesson as text
The lesson in words
The field hides mines under covered squares. Each open square shows how many of its eight neighbours, diagonals included, are mines. A blank square has none, so the game opens everything around it for you.
Uncover every safe square to win.
The highlighted 1 touches exactly one covered square. Its one mine must be there.
Try it: Tap the mine next to the highlighted 1.
That mine is now flagged. The highlighted 1 already touches the flag, so it has all the mines it needs.
Try it: Tap every other covered square around the highlighted 1. They’re all safe.
Now try one on your own.
Try it: Tap the mine next to the highlighted 1 in the bottom-left.
Numbers find mines, and flags make squares safe. Next: a quick rules check.
Questions
Which squares does a number count?
All eight, diagonals included.