World Records in Minesweeper: Fastest Wins Ever
Minesweeper is turning 35 this year, and throughout its history, it has grown to be a popular and engaging game. What started as a pastime and one of the many games available in Windows OS, became the most popular of the bunch. Of course, things evolved in the Minesweeper world. From a software perspective, Windows kept releasing versions and updates for almost 20 years, until Windows 7 in 2009. Other versions appeared as well, with added difficulty, new layouts, or different boards. From a community standpoint, there are numerous championships, world records, and forums for enthusiasts and experts to gather around.
In the 2010s, players developed so greatly, that records were below 40 seconds. A regular player could spend a long time solving a difficult board. But world champions like Kamil Murański were able to solve them in 32 seconds.
Who Holds the Fastest Minesweeper Times?
But who’s the fastest player? While the logic is somewhat simple, the real challenge is trying to solve the puzzle in the least time possible. The records are set for each difficulty level: beginner, intermediate, and expert.
The current champion is Ze-En Ju. In 2020, he set a new record when he was only 12 years old for the intermediate and expert categories. For the latter, the record is 29.43 seconds. At the intermediate level, he finished the puzzle in 8.76. While he’s the leader in these categories, and he has the fastest time overall summing all three categories, he’s not the champion in the beginner level. For that category, the record goes to kiraa96, a Polish player and YouTuber who has made plenty of videos about Minesweeper. He completed the beginner puzzle in only 0.45 seconds.
Milestones in Minesweeper Record History
We mentioned Kamil Murański earlier, but he’s not among the highest scores. If you’re not aware of the history of Minesweeper tournaments, you might be wondering why. First, it’s important to note that Murański is a very relevant figure in the Minesweeper community. He was the first to solve expert puzzles in 32 seconds. Before, he had also broken the 36, 35, and 32 marks. Also, he was the champion in all three categories, and he remained king for 10 years.
However, he was beaten by Ze-En Ju in 2020, and he reacted negatively, claiming Ju had cheated.
Traits of Top Minesweeper Record Holders
Minesweeper is a game of logic, as all puzzles are. There is, of course, a bit of chance added, as there are moments where 50/50 decisions must be made. But, overall, Minesweeper requires users to have a developed logical brain. One of the key strategies consists of identifying patterns, such as 1-2-1, or 1-2-2-1. Another major trait every pro player must have is the ability to make quick decisions. This connects with the previous one: you should be able to quickly identify and act upon the known patterns. Overall, it’s important to be able to remain calm and focused, even under high pressure.
Can You Beat the Fastest Minesweeper Records?
Minesweeper is a challenging game, but a really fun and engaging one, too. Moreover, it’s stimulating for the brain and can benefit decision-making useful for everyday life. While it may be difficult to break world records, it’s not impossible. The story of Ze-En Ju, who broke a 10-year record at such a young age, should be an encouraging tale for any player to keep practicing, learning new strategies, and working on harder and harder puzzles each time.
