Tic Tac Toe Challenge
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Everyone knows how to play tic-tac-toe. But can you solve the tic tac toe challenge puzzle? This fun brain teaser is simple to explain, but it can be hard to solve!
Setting up the Tic Tac Toe Puzzle
While normal tic-tac-toe (or noughts and crosses) uses X’s and O’s, this tic tac toe puzzle only requires the standard grid and six X’s.
While you can draw the grid on paper and try to solve the puzzle that way, I find the puzzle is much easier to solve with physical paper pieces to manipulate and move around during the puzzle solving process.
I originally typed up this tic tac toe challenge puzzle with the intention of using it on my puzzle table with laminated x pieces for students to place on the tic tac toe grid.
MATH = LOVE RECOMMENDS…
A laminator is a MUST-HAVE for me as a math teacher! I spent my first six years as a teacher at a school with a broken laminator, so I had to find a way to laminate things myself.
I’ve had several laminators over the years. I currently use a Scotch laminator at home and a Swingline laminator at school.
I highly recommend splurging a bit on the actual laminator and buying the cheapest laminating pouches you can find!
Don’t want to print the puzzle? I also created digital versions of the puzzle while teaching during the pandemic that are linked later in the post.
Tic Tac Toe Challenge Instructions
Place six X’s on a standard tic-tac-toe board without making three-in-a-row in any direction.
I really like that the instructions and set-up for this tic tac toe brain teaser are so simple that you can issue the challenge to someone at a moment’s notice.
Will your friends be able to solve this tic tac toe riddle?
Jumbo Magnetic Version of Tic Tac Toe Challenge
I decided this would make a great magnetic puzzle for my dry erase board if I made the pieces JUMBO sized. I was right! Students loved it. Some students even tried using it to play regular games of tic tac toe by having one student use a dry erase marker to draw the O’s.
I added disc magnets to the back of the laminated pieces to make it easy for students to place the pieces on the dry erase board while playing tic-tac-toe.
Digital Versions of Tic Tac Toe Challenge
Link to make a copy of Tic Tac Toe Challenge Google Slides Version
Want more puzzles? Check out my puzzles page!
Free Download of Tic Tac Toe Challenge
Letter Sized Printable Version of Tic Tac Toe Puzzle
Click here to Download
Tic Tac Toe Challenge (PDF)
4390 downloads – 74.68 KB
Click here to Download
Tic Tac Toe Challenge (Editable Publisher File ZIP)
2498 downloads – 76.32 KB
Jumbo Version of Tic Tac Toe Puzzle
Click here to Download
Tic Tac Toe Challenge – Jumbo Version (PDF)
2806 downloads – 38.95 KB
Puzzle Solutions
Puzzle solutions are available on a password-protected solution page. I do not openly post the puzzle answer keys because one of my goals as a resource creator is to craft learning experiences for students that are non-google-able. I want teachers to be able to use these puzzles in their classrooms without the solutions being found easily on the Internet.
Please email me at sarah@mathequalslove.net for the password to the answer key database featuring all of my printable puzzles and math worksheets. I frequently have students emailing me for the answer key, so please specify in your email what school you teach at and what subjects you teach. If you do not provide these details, I will not be able to send you the password.
Not a teacher? Go ahead and send me an email as well. Just let me know what you are using the puzzles for. I am continually in awe of how many people are using these puzzles with scouting groups, with senior adults battling dementia, or as fun activities in their workplace. Just give me enough details so I know you are not a student looking for answers to the puzzle that was assigned as their homework!
Hi Sarah. I like the strategy behind this game so have expanded your Google Slide template to add slides for 9 questions & solutions. I’ve also added game play directions for students to play in pairs. Here’s the link to my version of your game (credits in Speaker Notes) — https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GZ4MpukrvWmS-snW2A-44mXT4xkM1WAzP2Gfbu3_xRU/copy.
Brilliant! I love this (especially the name you gave it). Thanks for sharing!