Tic-Tac-Toe
Play noughts and crosses against the computer. Three rounds, easy to unbeatable.
Tic-Tac-Toe
Three in a row wins a round. Play the robot (a win is 3 points, a draw 1) or pass the phone to a friend. Three rounds.
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How to play
You are X and the computer is O. Take turns placing your mark on the 3 × 3 board. Three of your marks in a row, across, down or diagonally, wins the round. If every square fills up with no line, it is a draw.
Levels
- Easy: the computer picks random squares. Great for children and quick wins.
- Medium: the computer plays its best move about half the time.
- Hard: the computer never loses. Aim for a draw in every round.
Winning tips
- When you start, take a corner. It gives the other player more ways to make a mistake.
- Always check: can I win now? If not, must I block a line of two?
- Try to make two lines of two at once (a "fork"). Only one can be blocked.
How the computer thinks
On hard, the computer uses a method called minimax. It imagines every move that could follow, gives each ending a score, and picks the move that leads to the best result for itself. A small board makes this possible in an instant.
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Questions about the tic-tac-toe
Can I beat the computer on hard?
No. On hard the computer looks at every possible move, so the best you can do is a draw. Each draw still gives you 1 point.
How are points counted?
A match has three rounds. You get 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, so 9 is the top score.
Who goes first?
You start round 1, the computer starts round 2, and you start round 3. That keeps the match fair.