We are offering here a plan for the classic wooden Tic-Tac-Toe game set. It consists out of the game board base, 5 x „X“ pieces  and 5 x „O“ pieces.

The board has 9 fields in the form of foursquare recesses in which the X and O game pieces are placed. Tic-tac-toe or Noughts and crosses is a world-wide known classical strategy game, and it is basically a paper-and-pencil game. The game is designed for two players that are alternately entering the X and O symbols into the empty fields on a 3x3 grid. Each of two players uses only one of these two symbols. Player that plays first usually takes the X symbol. The winner is the first player that gets three of his marks in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally). During the game, players are trying to enter their symbols in a row in order to win, and at the same time have to prevent opponent to win. As much as it seems like a simple game at first glance, Tic Tac Toe requires strategic thinking and outcome analysis of not just your own moves, but also the possible moves of your opponent. Because of this, the game encourages problem solving skills and abstract thinking.

 

Tic tac toe game plan
Project type
Project difficulty
Simple
Skill level
for beginners
Level of workshop equipment
Basic hand toools
Dimensions

250 mm (9 27/32'') x 250 mm (9 27/32'')  x 25 mm (31/32) long

 

Tic tack toe is a timeless board game throughout the history as well as during man’s lifetime. It is equally attractive to the school children, adults and retirees. Tic Tac Toe is the first strategic game in life for most of us. It is said that this game was known since 1300 BC in ancient Egypt, and another source sets its origin in the first century BC in the Roman Empire. Attractiveness and imperishability of this simple game states the fact that one of the first video games (1952) was none the less than OXO (Noughts and crosses), when man played against the perfect opponent – computer.

 

Exploded view and parts list
Tic tac toe game - Parts list
Part drawings
Game borad part
Part O
Part X

 

Simplicity of this board game makes it an ideal pedagogical tool for the basic combinatory and strategic thinking. There are 138 possible outcomes of the game (if we do not take symmetric outcomes in consideration), with different number of possible wins of one or another player in 5, 7 or 9 moves or a ties. Player that has the first move has approximately 2 times bigger chance to win, because of the starting tactical advantage. Many combinations of moves in this game make it interesting even if it is repeated many times.

To make this project you can use various kinds of wood like cedar, pine, oak, basswood, birch, beech or any kind of similar wood. The parts surfaces need careful sanding, so the surfaces would be smooth. At the end you can coat the parts with the beeswax.

 

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Submitted by Ceh Jan