How to use the solver
- 01Choose the board size. The three standard sizes match the game: 9×9, 16×16, and 30×16.
- 02Paint the numbers. Select a number in the palette, then click each open cell showing that number. Right-click or long-press a cell to clear it if you misclick.
- 03Press Solve. Green outlines are cells that must be safe; red outlines are cells that must be mines. Every other covered cell shows its mine probability, and the lowest one is outlined as the best guess.
- 04If nothing is forced, type the mines still unmarked into Mines left. Cells that touch no number then get an exact probability too, so the whole board can be compared.
What the solver is actually checking
Every open number is a constraint: it says exactly how many mines touch that cell. The solver collects those constraints, groups the covered cells they touch, and enumerates every assignment of mines that satisfies all of them at once. A cell is reported as safe only when it is safe in every valid assignment, and as a mine only when it is a mine in every valid assignment. That is the same standard a careful player uses when they say a move is forced.
This is also why the solver never fills in the whole board. Most real positions have several layouts that fit the visible numbers. The tool deliberately reports only the certain part and stays silent about the rest.
When there is no forced move
If the solver says there is no forced move, the position is a genuine guess. Two or more mine layouts fit every number, and they disagree about which covered cells hold mines. No logic, and no solver, can separate them from what is on screen. That is the same situation No-Guess mode removes by throwing the board away before you start.
A guess is not the same as a coin flip, though. Each covered cell now carries a percentage: the share of valid mine layouts that put a mine there. A cell at 12% is a much better click than a cell at 50%, and the solver outlines the lowest-probability cell so the best available move is obvious.
The practical response is to look for a different frontier — a corner or edge you have not resolved — rather than clicking one of the ambiguous cells. If the whole board is ambiguous, the board was generated with a 50/50 and the outcome is luck.
Reading the mine percentages
Cells that touch a revealed number get an exact probability: the solver enumerates every layout consistent with the numbers and counts how often each cell is a mine. Cells that touch no number at all cannot be judged from the numbers alone, because nothing constrains them; they share whatever mines are left after the frontier is accounted for. Enter the number of mines still unmarked in the Mines left field — the HUD counter in the game — and those cells get an exact share too.
Two practical consequences follow. First, a 0% or 100% cell is a forced move, not a guess. Second, a frontier cell can be a worse guess than an untouched corner of the board, which is why players who guess without counting often click the wrong side of the board.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the Minesweeper solver?+
Pick the board size, choose a number from the palette, and click every open cell that shows that number. Leave the covered cells untouched. Press Solve and the tool outlines the cells that are forced.
What is a forced move in Minesweeper?+
A forced move is a covered cell that is safe in every mine layout consistent with the numbers you have revealed, or a mine in every one of those layouts. Because every possible layout agrees, no guess is involved.
Why does the solver say there is no forced move?+
It means two or more mine layouts fit all the visible numbers and they disagree about the covered cells. No amount of logic can separate them from the information on the board. The solver then shows the mine probability of each covered cell so you can make the best available guess.
How does the solver calculate mine probabilities?+
It counts how many of the valid mine layouts put a mine in each covered cell, then divides by the number of valid layouts. A cell that holds a mine in 3 of 20 layouts is shown as 15%. Cells that do not touch any number share whatever mines are left, which is why the optional Mines left field makes their odds exact.
What should I do when every cell is a guess?+
Click the covered cell with the lowest mine percentage. If two cells have the same odds, prefer one that will open a larger area or resolve more of the frontier if it is safe. The solver marks the lowest-probability cell so the choice is visible.
Does the solver work for Expert boards?+
Yes. Choose the 30×16 size, paint the numbers, and solve. Large positions with many separate frontier groups can exceed the search limit; in that case the solver says the position is too complex and asks for a smaller area.
Is the solver free and private?+
Yes. The solver runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, stored on a server, or attached to an account.
Can the solver tell me where every mine is?+
No, and any tool that claims otherwise is guessing. It only reports cells that are certain. If a position has several valid layouts, the solver reports the certain cells and tells you the rest cannot be decided by logic.