[Illustration]

This is a game every boy or girl thoroughly enjoys. Take paper, and
with a pencil draw four cross lines as shown:

[Illustration]

Two persons only can play at this game, one player taking "noughts,"
the other "crosses." The idea is for the one player to try and draw
three "noughts" in a line before the other player can do the same
with three "crosses." Supposing the player who places his "O" in the
right-hand top corner, the player who has taken the "crosses" will
perhaps place an "X" in the left-hand top corner. The next "O" would
be placed in the bottom left-hand corner; then to prevent the line of
three "noughts" being completed, the second player would place his "X"
in the center square. An "O" would then be immediately placed in the
right-hand bottom corner, so that wherever the "X" was placed by the
next player, the "noughts" would be bound to win. Say, for instance,
the "X" has chosen the "noughts" commences and was placed in the
center square on the right-hand side, the place for the "O" to be put
would be the center square at the bottom, thus securing the game. The
diagram would then appear as illustrated:

* * * * *

"TIT, TAT, TOE"

[Illustration]

There can be two, three, or four players for this game. First take