Two boards of the same size can need very different numbers of clicks, so a time on its own does not say how fast someone played. The record lists measure the board first — its 3BV — and then speed as 3BV per second.
What 3BV counts
3BV is the smallest number of left clicks that clears a board without flags. Each opening — a connected patch of empty squares together with the numbers around its edge — takes one click. Each number that no opening reaches needs a click of its own. Mines are not counted.
3BV on the boards dealt here
| Size | Lowest 10% | Median | Highest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner 9×9 | 9 | 15 | 20 |
| Intermediate 16×16 | 50 | 63 | 77 |
| Expert 30×16 | 144 | 170 | 191 |
| Huge 30×30 | 286 | 322 | 356 |
Measured on 300 boards per size from the generator that deals yours.
3BV/s: speed that allows for the board
Divide the board's 3BV by your time in seconds. Clearing a beginner board with a 3BV of 9 in 15 seconds is 0.6 3BV/s; clearing one with a 3BV of 20 in the same time is 1.3 — twice the speed for the same time. When you finish a board here, the result window shows its 3BV/s, and the speed badges sit at about 1 3BV/s.
Efficiency: 3BV divided by clicks
Efficiency, written IOE, compares the clicks a board needs with the clicks you actually made. A board with a 3BV of 50 cleared in 50 clicks scores 1.00. Chording can take it above 1, because one click on a satisfied number opens several squares at once. When you finish a board here, the result window shows its IOE next to 3BV/s.
Definitions follow the record keepers' statistics page: minesweepergame.com/statistics.php
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