Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe
Nine games of tic-tac-toe inside one big one. Where you play decides where your opponent has to play next.
the best bit: discovering tic-tac-toe can actually be hard
- Players
- 2
- Time
- 10–20 min
- Learn in
- A minute
- Mood
- Chill
- Format
- Everyone for themselves
The 30-second version
Draw a big tic-tac-toe board with a small board inside each square. The square you pick in a small board sends your opponent to the matching small board next. Win small boards to claim their squares on the big one. Three in a row on the big board wins.
read this, then walk through the steps below once.
Grab these
Set up
- Draw a big tic-tac-toe grid. Inside each of its nine squares, draw a small tic-tac-toe grid.
How to play
-
First move
X plays first, anywhere on any small board.
-
Send them
The square you play in decides where your opponent goes next. Play in the top-right square of a small board, and they have to play somewhere in the top-right small board.
-
Claim a board
Get three in a row on a small board and it's yours. Draw a big X or O over it.
-
Free move
If you're sent to a small board that's already won or full, play anywhere you like.
How to win
Claim three small boards in a row on the big board.
From experience…
- Every move does two things: claims a square and picks your opponent's next board.
- Avoid sending them to a finished board. It gives them a free move anywhere.