How to play and tips
Exit Mine uses minesweeper logic to build a safe path from the entrance to the exit. This page covers the basic rules for first-timers, then tips for better records and for time attack.
1. Basic rules
- The entrance is the bottom-left cell and the exit is the top-right cell. Neither ever has a mine.
- The entrance starts open, and the cells right next to it are always safe, so your first move never depends on luck.
- Opening a closed cell shows how many mines are in the 8 cells around it (including diagonals). A 0 shows as a blank cell.
- Flag cells you're sure are mines. A flagged cell can't be opened until you remove the flag, which protects you from slips.
- When opened safe cells connect the entrance to the exit up, down, left, or right without a gap, you win. Diagonal-only touches don't count.
- Open a mine and you lose, and every mine is revealed. Trying again gives you a new board of the same size.
2. Controls
| To do this | Phone or tablet | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Open a cell | Tap | Click |
| Place or remove a flag | Long-press, or switch to "Flag" at the bottom and tap | Right-click |
| Switch between open and flag | Buttons at the bottom | Space (or F) |
| Zoom | Pinch in or out | Ctrl + mouse wheel |
| Move a zoomed board | Drag with one finger | Drag with the mouse |
| Pause | Tap the timer | P |
3. Reading numbers and common patterns
When a number is 0
There are no mines in the 8 surrounding cells, so every closed cell around it is safe to open. Opening the ones toward the exit first widens your path fastest.
Number = closed cells around it
If a 1 has exactly one closed cell left around it, that cell is the mine. Flag it — the next deductions get easier.
Flags = number
If a number already has that many flags (confirmed mines) around it, every other closed cell around it is safe. This is the deduction you'll use most often.
The 1-1 pattern
Two 1s sit side by side along an edge, and every closed cell the first 1 can see is also seen by the second 1. Both numbers are counting the same single mine, so the cells only the second 1 can see are safe.
The 1-2 pattern
A 1 and a 2 sit side by side, and the 2 sees one more closed cell than the 1. That extra cell is a mine: one of the 2's mines can be in the cells shared with the 1, so the other must be in the cell only the 2 can see.
4. Opening fewer cells (Classic)
Your Classic record is the number of safe cells you opened yourself. The shortest path to the exit varies by board, but it's usually about the board's width plus its height. To lower your record:
- Only open cells off the path when you must — when you're stuck and need more clues.
- Try opening the exit early. It never has a mine, so it's always safe, and its number helps you plan the last stretch.
- Flags don't count toward your record. Mark confirmed mines freely.
- A staircase heading up and to the right is usually shorter than a zigzag.
- The clear screen shows the shortest safe path on that board for reference. Compare it with your own count.
5. Time attack tips
Time attack starts at 1 minute 30 seconds in stage 1 and adds 20 seconds per stage. The clock starts when you open or flag your first cell, and you lose when it hits zero. Your record is your clear time.
- Rather than saving cells, open cells likely to be 0 first to expand the safe area quickly.
- Flagging takes time too. Skip flags on mines that aren't next to your path.
- The timer turns orange under 30 seconds and red under 10 seconds.
- If something comes up, tap the timer to pause. The board is hidden while paused, and the game pauses itself when you switch apps or tabs.
6. Stages
| Stage | Grid | Mines | Time attack limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10×10 | 14 | 1:30 |
| 2 | 11×11 | 18 | 1:50 |
| 3 | 12×12 | 22 | 2:10 |
| 4 | 13×13 | 28 | 2:30 |
| 5 | 14×14 | 34 | 2:50 |
| 6 | 15×15 | 40 | 3:10 |
| 7 | 16×16 | 48 | 3:30 |
| 8 | 17×17 | 56 | 3:50 |
| 9 | 18×18 | 66 | 4:10 |
| 10 | 19×19 | 76 | 4:30 |
Clearing a stage unlocks the next one. Classic and Time attack keep separate progress and records.
7. FAQ
Can every board really be solved without guessing?
Yes. Every time a board is created, a solver works through it with the same information you have (the entrance, the exit, and revealed numbers), opening only cells it can prove are safe. Boards that don't reach the exit this way are thrown away.
Do I have to open every safe cell?
No. You only need opened cells connecting the entrance to the exit. Opening fewer actually improves your Classic record.
Where are my records saved?
Stage progress and your best records on this device are saved in your browser. When you're online, cleared runs are also saved to the ranking server, and once you set a nickname, your name and record appear in the ranking. No sign-up is needed — an anonymous account is created for each device. See the privacy policy for details.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. It's free to play right in your browser.