SOLVING A MINESWEEPER PUZZLE

A MINESWEEPER puzzle consists of a square or rectangular grid in which a number of mines have been laid. Some of the cells contain a hazard flag which has a number indicating how many of the adjacent cells (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) contain a mine. To solve the puzzle, you must determine which of the un-flagged cells contain a mine. Each puzzle has a unique solution and no guessing is required to reach a correct solution. Puzzles can be built either manually or automatically in sizes from 6x6 up to 14x14.

Solving a MINESWEEPER puzzle is a mouse only operation. A single click in any DARK cell will convert that cell to a NO-MINE cell which has a default color of white. A second click will convert it to a MINE cell, and one more click will convert it back to a DARK cell.

Menu Functions
  • File Menu
    • Load a Puzzle
      Use this option to choose the puzzle you want to solve from the pool of MINESWEEPER puzzles currently available on your computer.

    • Quit Solving
      Returns you to either the MINESWEEPER Build screen or the Magnum Opus opening screen.

  • View Menu
    • Display Options
      This leads you to a dialog box in which you can change the colors of various elements within the puzzle, and control the fonts which will be used for the puzzle's text components. You can also decide if printing of the puzzle will be done in black and white or in color.

  • Tasks Menu
    • Reveal Errors
      If you think you may have made errors, this option will show you where they are by highlighting them for a period of 1.5 seconds.

    • Reveal Solution
      The entire solution can be seen by selecting this option.

    • Request a Hint
      This option will highlight one or more puzzle cells in blue to indicate the location within the puzzle where further progress can be made. In addition an automatic Help screen will appear giving you a detailed description of the strategy you will need to apply.

    • Begin Again
      You can restart the entire solution process at any time by selecting this option.

  • Help Menu
    • Minesweeper Help
      Displays the Help screen which you are now reading.