Intermediate Minesweeper
Intermediate is the middle board: 16 columns, 16 rows and 40 mines. It is the size most people picture when they think of Minesweeper, big enough for real chains of logic but still quick to finish.
About one square in six is a mine here. Openings are smaller than on Beginner, so you spend more time reading numbers along the edges and less time watching the board clear itself.
This is where the classic patterns start to matter. The 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 shapes turn up often along the edge of an opening, and spotting them saves a lot of thinking.
Tips for Intermediate
- Work outward from the first opening. The edge of a cleared area is where the information is.
- Use chording. Click a number that already has all its flags and every other square around it opens.
- If you get stuck, look for a spot where two numbers share covered squares. Comparing them usually settles at least one square.
- When a guess can't be avoided, make it early rather than late, so a bad guess costs less time.
Ready for more? Try Expert. New to the game? The how to play guide covers the basics.
Other boards
Questions people ask
How many mines are on an Intermediate board?
Forty mines on a 16 by 16 board of 256 squares.
How long does an Intermediate game take?
A few minutes for most players. Fast players finish in well under a minute.
Do I need to guess on Intermediate?
Sometimes. Most boards can be cleared by logic, but a few leave a spot with no safe move. The No guess mode avoids those boards completely.