Game

Nested Tic-Tac-Toe Showdown

Here's one to try together!

Tic-tac-toe inside tic-tac-toe! Every move sends your opponent somewhere sneaky.

25 min3 min prepAges 9 and uplow mess

Reviewed by our team.

Safety first

What you need

Grown-up prep: Find a flat table and a quiet spot for two players. No setup beyond gathering paper, a ruler and two pencils.

Use the ruler to draw a big tic-tac-toe grid.
Draw a small tic-tac-toe grid inside each big square.
Pick who is X and who is O.
First player marks any tiny spot on any small board.
Send your partner to the matching small board.
Ask: If I play in the top right spot, where will you have to go next?
Take turns, always playing on the board you were sent to.
Win a small board to claim that big square.
Ask: Can you send me somewhere that helps you, not me?
Claim three big squares in a row to win. Play again, or invite someone new!
Ask: What was your cleverest plan? What will you try next game?

Speed round: each move must be made within 10 seconds.
Team up: two players per side must agree before every move.
Secret goal: before starting, each player quietly picks one big square to try to win, then reveals it at the end.

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