How the level set changes
Molesweeper begins with a compact 6-by-6 footprint containing 24 active tiles and 3 hidden moles. The level shapes then expand, split, taper, and form internal gaps. By Level 20, the footprint is 9 by 9 with 63 active tiles and 14 hidden moles.
The footprint is the maximum row-and-column area occupied by a shape, not the number of playable tiles. A 9-by-9 footprint can contain much less than 81 active tiles because periods in the level mask create open space. Those gaps are strategically important: numbers do not count them as neighbors, which changes the number of possible mole locations along an edge.
Level shapes, tile counts, and moles
The miniature diagrams use a colored square for each active tile. They show the playable outline only; they do not reveal mole positions or a solution.
| Level | Shape | Footprint | Active tiles | Moles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 6 × 6 | 24 | 3 | |
| Level 2 | 7 × 7 | 28 | 4 | |
| Level 3 | 7 × 7 | 31 | 5 | |
| Level 4 | 8 × 7 | 30 | 5 | |
| Level 5 | 8 × 8 | 44 | 7 | |
| Level 6 | 8 × 8 | 32 | 6 | |
| Level 7 | 8 × 8 | 38 | 7 | |
| Level 8 | 8 × 7 | 34 | 7 | |
| Level 9 | 9 × 9 | 56 | 8 | |
| Level 10 | 9 × 9 | 54 | 9 | |
| Level 11 | 9 × 8 | 43 | 9 | |
| Level 12 | 9 × 7 | 39 | 10 | |
| Level 13 | 9 × 8 | 42 | 9 | |
| Level 14 | 9 × 8 | 40 | 10 | |
| Level 15 | 9 × 9 | 44 | 10 | |
| Level 16 | 9 × 8 | 42 | 11 | |
| Level 17 | 9 × 8 | 50 | 12 | |
| Level 18 | 9 × 9 | 37 | 12 | |
| Level 19 | 9 × 9 | 54 | 13 | |
| Level 20 | 9 × 9 | 63 | 14 |
How level unlocking works
Only Level 1 is available on a new browser profile. Clearing a level unlocks the next number and preserves access to earlier boards. Select the level title above the game to open the chooser; available levels appear in full color, the current level receives a green outline, and future levels remain dimmed.
The browser stores the highest unlocked level and the last selected level locally. Clearing cookies or site storage can remove this progress. There is no account synchronization, so unlocks do not automatically move between devices or browsers.
What changes when you replay
The active shape and total number of moles are fixed for each level. The exact mole locations are not. A level builds its arrangement after the first dig so that the chosen opening is protected. Starting on another tile changes the placement seed and can create a new clue layout inside the same outline.
This means the level list is a progression map rather than a walkthrough library. Use the rules guide for controls and the strategy guide for clue patterns that apply to every arrangement.
Source
Board masks, active tile counts, and mole counts come from the current Molesweeper game build, updated August 3, 2026.