Who Invented Tic Tac Toe?

Tic-Tac-Toe Origin
Some ascribe the origin of Tic-Tac-Toe to the ancient Egyptians, but the most concrete ancient record we have of the game is from the Romans, and the game they referred to as terni lapilli, or three pebbles at a time.

Who made the first game tic-tac-toe?

History. Games played on three-in-a-row boards can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where such game boards have been found on roofing tiles dating from around 1300 BC. An early variation of tic-tac-toe was played in the Roman Empire, around the first century BC.

Where did the term tic-tac-toe come from?

The name tic tac toe comes from a game by the same name, no longer played, in which players with their eyes closed tossed a pencil down onto a slate marked with numbers, and earned the score the number indicated -- something like blind darts. The game dates back to the mid to late 1800s.

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.