You've mastered the logic. You can solve Expert boards with confidence. But now, a new challenge awaits: the clock. Speedrunning Minesweeper is a completely different discipline, where every mouse movement and every fraction of a second counts. If you're looking to crush your personal best, it's time to move beyond just what you click, and focus on how you click.
Here are some essential techniques used by top-level players to achieve incredible speeds.
1. Master Your Mouse Technique
Speed isn't just about thinking fast; it's about moving efficiently. Keep your mouse movements small and precise. Aim for the edge of a square, not the center, to minimize travel distance to the next one. Make your clicks quick and snappy—remember, the click registers on the mouse-up, not the mouse-down. Every wasted movement is time lost.
2. Chording is Everything
Single left-clicks are for beginners. Speed comes from chording. As soon as you have "satisfied" a number by flagging (or mentally flagging) its mines, you should be using a middle-click or a simultaneous left+right click on that number to clear all remaining neighbors at once. Your goal should be to clear the maximum number of squares with the minimum number of clicks.
3. Prioritize High-Information Areas
Don't get bogged down in a tricky corner at the start of the game. Your first priority is to open up the board as much as possible. Focus on areas that will give you the most information and lead to large clearings. Solving the dense, complex sections becomes much easier when you have more of the board revealed.
4. Learn to Reduce Flag Usage (Embrace NF)
While flags are essential for learning, they are a time-sink for speedrunning. Every right-click is a moment you're not clearing a square. Start practicing solving obvious patterns (like the 1-2-1) without placing flags. This "No-Flag" (NF) style is the key to top-tier times, as it allows for an uninterrupted flow of chording. It requires intense focus, but it's the single biggest leap you can make in speed.
5. Develop a Rhythm and Flow
At the highest level, Minesweeper becomes a rhythm game. Players aren't consciously thinking through every single pattern; they have internalized them to the point where recognition is almost instant. This comes from practice. The more you play with a focus on speed, the more you will develop a subconscious flow, moving from one pattern to the next without hesitation.
Shaving seconds off your time is a game of inches. It requires a combination of perfect logic, efficient movement, and intense focus. Implement these techniques into your gameplay, and you'll see your personal bests start to tumble.