A sweep is either a contact sweep, a wire dragged through the water by one or two ships to cut the mooring wire of floating mines, or a distance sweep that mimics a ship to detonate the mines. The sweeps are dragged by minesweepers, either purpose-built military ships or converted trawlers.

Game Strategy\n\n A typical game of Minesweeper is played on a 16 by 30 board with 99 mines.