tick-tack-toe

American  

[tik-tak-toh] / ˌtɪk tækˈtoʊ /

Or tick-tack-too

noun

1. a simple game in which one player marks down only X's and another only O's, each alternating in filling in any of the nine compartments of a figure formed by two vertical lines crossed by two horizontal lines, the winner being the first to fill in three marks in any horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row.

2. a children's game consisting of trying, with the eyes shut, to bring a pencil down upon one of a set of circled numbers, as on a slate, the number touched being counted as a score.

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tick-tack-toe British  

/ ˌtɪktækˈtuː, ˌtɪktækˈtəʊ /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): noughts and crosses.  a game in which two players, one using a nought, "O", the other a cross, "X", alternately mark one square out of nine formed by two pairs of crossed lines, the winner being the first to get three of his symbols in a row

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Etymology

Origin of tick-tack-toe

1865–70; imitative of sound, as of bringing a pencil down on slate; see ticktack

Example Sentences

Backlund tied it at 8:03 as he finished a tick-tack-toe passing play from Huberdeau and Andrew Mangiapane and threaded a shot under Saros’ right armpit.

From Washington Times • Apr. 11, 2023

Carolina once again punched back with a power-play goal on a tick-tack-toe passing play converted by Necas 8:55 into the third period.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2022

A quick tick-tack-toe passing sequence that started with Gaudreau to Tkachuk was finished off neatly by Lindholm at 3:35.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 25, 2022

We have rock-paper-scissors, tick-tack-toe, checkers, dominoes and solitaire — small, abstract games in which sets of simple rules play out in increasingly complex scenarios.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2012

When it rained, the children scurried to fasten the side curtains and then huddled together to keep warm while they played tick-tack-toe or guessing games.

From Across the Fruited Plain by Means, Florence Crannell