Questions tagged [tic-tac-toe]
Puzzles centered around tic-tac-toe (a.k.a. noughts and crosses).
32 questions
9
votes
3
answers
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4x4 Tic-tac-toe variant where three (or four) in a row wins only on the 8th turn
Standard Tic-tac-toe is a 2-player game played on the following 3x3 grid in which the players take turns marking an empty square with the goal of getting three of their marks in a row either ...
4
votes
2
answers
389
views
Blindfolded tic-tac-toe with a twist
You're playing tic-tac-toe and you're blindfolded.
The objective is to never lose, winning when given the chance under the classic ruleset of the game. Furthermore, an observer who is only aware of ...
11
votes
1
answer
1k
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Pigpen Tic-Tac-Toe
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #3: Pencil and Paper Games
Introducing a new tic-tac-toe variant of my own devising (at least I haven't found an equivalent anywhere online).
...
7
votes
1
answer
438
views
Noughts and Crosses and... there's more?
Having been beaten at your favourite pencil and paper game, Noughts and Crosses, repeatedly by your friend, you decide to give up on your dreams of becoming Tic-Tac-Toe world champion.
However you ...
25
votes
2
answers
2k
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What is my favorite brand of pen?
This is an entry to the Monthly Topic Challenge #3: Pencil and Paper Games
Given the following valid "tic-tac-toe" boards:
What is my favorite brand of pen?
Other possible tags to check ...
4
votes
1
answer
544
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Tic-Tac-Toe on a Rubik's Cube
12 friends decide to play Tic-Tac-Toe on the surfaces of an opened Rubik's Cube which looks like this:
When closed, the orientation of this Rubik's Cube is as follows:
Surface
Colour
Up
White
Down
...
14
votes
2
answers
863
views
Decision Paralysis
This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #1: Restricted Title: xkcd 1xxx and is based on https://xkcd.com/1801/.
Protip: If you ever need to defeat me, just give me two very similar options ...
6
votes
2
answers
289
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What is the ideal strategy in this randomised-goal tic-tac-toe variant?
In an SMBC comic published on 20 June 2022, Zach Weinersmith proposes the following variant of tic-tac-toe:
Play consists of a number of rounds
At the start of each round, each player rolls a d6 in ...
3
votes
1
answer
367
views
Harary's generalized Tic-Tac-Toe; Winning strategy for Skinny on a 7 x 7 board?
Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is a ask question, not to offer a puzzle. Still, there are some puzzles here for the reader's pleasure.
Disclaimer 2: This question was also asked on Math Stack ...
19
votes
1
answer
2k
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Blindfold Tic-Tac-Toe
You are playing the classic game of 3x3 Tic-Tac-Toe. You are blindfolded and you cannot see the grid, while your opponent can see it. When making a move you call out a cell. If that cell is taken you ...
5
votes
1
answer
274
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Playing tic-tac-toe by submitting your moves in advance
Suppose that, instead of playing in your turn, you have to submit in advance, an ordered list of the 9 board positions. Then a computer plays for you by using, whenever it is your turn, the leftmost ...
2
votes
0
answers
892
views
How do you force a win in 4x4x4 TicTacToe
I have read in the wikipedia page of TicTacToe that it is possible for the first player to force a win in a 4x4x4 board. I tried to find a strategy on how to do it online but failed. So, how do you ...
10
votes
2
answers
684
views
Buzzword Bingo Boss Battle!
Two bosses of different companies take turns delivering long speeches. Every speech much “claim” at least one unused square by uttering the corresponding buzzword(s) in the table below. Victory is ...
18
votes
1
answer
640
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Noughts and Crosses puzzle
Eques and Knott are playing a game of standard 3x3 Noughts and Crosses. At no stage of the game has Eques threatened to complete a row of three on his very next turn.
Suddenly Knott realises he must ...
13
votes
0
answers
544
views
Quantum tic tac toe strategy
Most of us learn tic tac toe early in our life. Also, it is easy to find an optimal strategy for playing.
How about Quantum tic tac toe? What is the optimal strategy for playing it?
Rules
On a ...