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Tic-Tac-Toe: how to play

Tic-Tac-Toe is one of the games in Classic Nook, a cosy shelf of classic games. Play Classic Nook or see all the Classic Nook games.

The idea

Two sides, X and O, take turns marking squares on a board of nine. The first to get three of their marks in a row wins. Simple to learn, and surprisingly hard to beat on the top level.

Opening it

In the Classic Nook hub, tap Tic-Tac-Toe on the shelves (in Italian it is called Tris). Pick a mode on the menu to start a round. The house button at the top left always takes you back to the shelves. During a round, the back arrow next to it goes back to the game's menu, and the ? button opens a short reminder of the rules.

Controls

Everything is a tap on a phone or tablet and a click with the mouse on a computer. Tap an empty square to place your mark. The tools under the board are Undo, Hint and Restart.

The rules

1. X always goes first. Against the computer, who goes first alternates from round to round, so you will be X in some rounds and O in others.
2. On your turn, tap an empty square to put your mark there.
3. Get three of your marks in a row, across, down or diagonally, and you win.
4. If all nine squares fill up and nobody has a line, the round is a draw.

Difficulty levels and two players

Choose Play the computer and then a level, or choose Two players.

• Easy: the computer often plays anywhere. It takes a win about half the time and blocks you about four times in ten.
• Medium: it always takes a win and always blocks yours, but otherwise it just plays around.
• Hard: it plays almost perfectly. About one move in ten it makes a mistake, so a careful player can still win.
• Two players: two people share one device and take turns, X first. There are no coins to win, and Undo, Hint and Restart are free.

Coins, Hint and Undo

The whole Classic Nook collection shares one coin count, shown at the top. You start with 30 coins, and you get a gift of 30 coins the first time you come back on a new day.

• Hint costs 15 coins and marks the best square for you. It only works on your turn.
• Undo costs 10 coins and takes back your last move and the computer's reply, so it is your turn again. After a loss, the end card also offers Undo for 10 coins, and the loss is taken out of your record.
• Restart is free if the round is over or you have made at most one move. After that it costs 5 coins. A restart in the middle of a round is not a result, and the same side starts again.
• Against the computer only. In two-player rounds all of these are free.

If you do not have enough coins, the game tells you and nothing is spent.

What is saved

Your coins, your record for each mode (won, drawn, lost; in two-player mode, X won, drawn, O won), who goes first next, and the sound setting. The record is on the menu. All of it is kept between visits.

Tips

• The centre is the strongest first move, and corners come next.
• Before every move, check two things: can you win now, and can your opponent? Win first, block second.
• Try to build a double threat: a move that makes two lines of two at once. They cannot block both.
• Against Hard, a draw is a good result, and a win is a real prize. Play carefully and wait for its slip.
• Save your coins for the 25-coin Hard wins instead of spending them on Hints you do not need.

Questions or problems? Contact us.