Tic Tac Toe

How to play Tic Tac Toe

Two players take turns placing X and O on a 3×3 grid. The first to get three of their marks in a row — across, down or diagonally — wins the round. If all nine squares fill up with no line, the round is a draw. The player who starts switches every round, so both sides get a fair shot.

Game modes

• Easy – the computer picks random squares. Good for kids and warm-ups.
• Medium – usually plays the right move but slips up now and then.
• Impossible – a perfect player. You can force a draw, but you cannot win.
• 2 Players – pass the phone or share the keyboard with a friend.

Strategy that works

Start in a corner. If your opponent does not answer in the centre, you can usually set up a fork — two lines that each need one more mark — and they can only block one. When you play second, take the centre whenever the first move is a corner. Liked this? Try Chess, Rock Paper Scissors, Memory Match or Snake.