Tic tac toe – play against the computer

This tic tac toe game, also known as noughts and crosses, lets you play online against the computer on a three by three board.

You are X and the computer is O. Tap an empty square to place your mark; the first player to get three marks in a row, across, down or diagonally, wins, and if all nine squares fill up with no line it is a draw.

What do the levels mean? On Easy the computer plays random squares, so you can win often. On Normal it takes a win when it sees one and blocks yours, but otherwise plays at random, so a clever double threat can beat it.

On Hard it checks every possible future move, which means it never loses; the best you can do is draw. Does it matter who goes first?

Yes, going first is an advantage, so try both options with the buttons above the board. How do I avoid losing? Take the center if you can, otherwise a corner.

If the computer starts in a corner, answer in the center, and always block a line where it has two in a row.

To win on Normal, create a fork: place a mark that makes two different lines of two at once, so the computer can block only one. Where are my results kept?

Your win streak for each level is saved only in this browser on this device, and nothing is uploaded. The game is for fun and for passing a few minutes, and it also can help children practice planning ahead.

Use the share button to challenge a friend. You may also like the rock paper scissors game or the number guessing game.