Tic Tac Toe Noughts and crosses vs computer or 2 players
Three in a row wins. Play the computer at three levels, or pass the screen to a friend.
Tic Tac Toe is a free board game you can play instantly in your web browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no download and no sign-up. Get three in a row before your opponent. Play the computer from Easy to Unbeatable, or a friend on the same device.
- Genre
- Board game, Strategy
- Controls
- Tap a square
- Plays on
- Phone, tablet and computer
- Price
- Free, no account needed
How to play Tic Tac Toe
Two players take turns marking one empty square on a 3 by 3 grid. One player is X and the other is O, and X always goes first. The first player to get three of their marks in a row, across, down or diagonally, wins. If all nine squares fill up with no three in a row, the game is a draw.
Against the computer you take turns going first: you are X in one game and O in the next. The game is also known as noughts and crosses, or Xs and Os.
Controls
| Action | Phone or tablet | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Mark a square | Tap it | Click it, or arrow keys then Space |
| Pick a square directly | 1 to 9, counting left to right from the top row | |
| Change level or mode | New game | New game |
Modes and levels
- Easy: the computer plays any free square. Good for young children and first games.
- Medium: it takes a win when it sees one and blocks your three in a row, but can be trapped.
- Unbeatable: it checks every possible game before each move and never loses. The best you can do is a draw.
- 2 players on the same device: pass the phone or share the screen.
Tips
- Going first, start in a corner. It gives the second player the most ways to go wrong.
- Going second, take the centre if the first player took a corner. Any other reply loses against perfect play.
- Look for a fork: one move that makes two lines of two at once. Your opponent can only block one of them.
- Before every move, check whether your opponent has two in a row. If they do, block it unless you can win right now.
Questions
Can you always win at Tic Tac Toe?
No. If both players make no mistakes, every game ends in a draw. You win only when your opponent slips, which is why forks matter.
Can I beat the Unbeatable level?
No. It searches every possible continuation, so it never loses. A draw against it means you played perfectly.
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. Choose 2 players and take turns tapping the board on the same device.
Who goes first?
X always goes first. Against the computer you swap between X and O each game, so you start every other game.
Is Tic Tac Toe free?
Yes. It runs in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to download. Your results are saved in your browser.
Suggest an improvement
Found a bug or have an idea for Tic Tac Toe? Tell us. No account or email needed, and we read every message.