Game Puzzles
- TIC TAC TOE
Every child knows how to play this ancient game. You make a square
of nine cells, and each of the two players, playing alternately, puts his mark
(a zero or a cross, as the case may be) in a cell with the object of getting three
in a line. Whichever player gets three in a line wins. I have said in my book"1-^0
"
)(.0
0
0)(.The Canterbury Puzzles that between
two players who thoroughly under-
stand the play every game should be
drawn, for neither party could ever
win except through the blundering of
his opponent. Can you prove this?
Can you be sure of not losing a game
CROSS HAS WON .". against an expert opponent?- THE HORSESHOE GAME
This little game is an interesting
companion to tic tac toe. There are
two players. One has two white
counters, the other two black. Playing
alternately, each places a counter on
a vacant point, where he leaves it.
When all are played, you slide only,
and the player is beaten who is so
blocked that he cannot move. In the
example, Black has just placed his
lower counter. White now slides his
lower one to the center, and wins.
Black should have played to the
center himself and won. Now, which
player ought to win at this game?
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