Is It Possible to Beat Google’s Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe?

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Tech specialist Luigi Oppido explains how to “beat” this impossible game

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: March 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Drawing in Impossible Mode
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• Winning in Medium Mode
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• Using the “Inspect” Hack
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• Video
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• Q&A

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Are you looking to hone your Tic-Tac-Toe skills and challenge Google’s infamous Impossible mode? The truth is, Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe is designed to be unbeatable—there’s no way to win outright. But in an exclusive interview with wikiHow, a tech specialist tells us that with a little strategy, you can keep the computer from winning. We’ll show you how to tie with the computer on Impossible mode, beat it on Medium mode, and even implement a simple hack to make it look like you won the game on Impossible.

Can you beat Google’s Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe?

Tech specialist Luigi Oppido says that you can “beat” Google’s Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe—but you can’t win. If you play perfectly, you can bring the game to a draw to block the AI from winning. Winning in Medium mode is much easier, or you can use the “Inspect” tool to make it look like you beat Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Playing to a Draw in Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe

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1. 
   1
   Put your first X in any corner. You’ll go first by default when playing Google Tic-Tac-Toe, which means you’ll automatically get X assigned as your symbol. Choose any corner to place your X in; it doesn’t matter which corner you pick for your first move. This is typically an expert player’s first choice, as it offers the most possibilities going forward.

   • In Impossible mode, the computer will typically respond by placing an O in the center space of the board. If it does this, you’ll typically only be able to draw the match, not win.
   • If the computer makes a rare error and places an O around the outside of the board, you may be able to win by following the steps in the playing to win section.
   • You can choose to play second on Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe if you’d like, but you’ll only have a chance of winning if you play first (and the computer makes an error).

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Luigi Oppido is a computer and tech specialist with over 25 years of experience. He’s also the owner of Pleasure Point Computers and the host of the Computer Man Show! on KSQD.
2. 
   2
   Place your next X on the opposite corner. Find the spot across the board diagonally from your first X and place your second one there. This cuts off 2 more potential routes to victory for the computer, bringing you closer to a draw on Impossible mode.

   • When playing against a human opponent, controlling most corners gives you more routes to victory, even though focusing on the middle is commonly considered the best strategy.
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3. 
   3
   Block the computer from winning with your next X. The computer will typically put its second O in a space that lines up with the center space and a free square. Spend your next turn placing your X in that free space to block the computer’s win.

   • It might feel like you’re chasing the computer from this point on, but in Impossible mode, the goal is more about not losing than it is to win.
4. 
   4
   Keep playing reactively, blocking the computer until you reach a draw. Place your next X in whichever space is needed to stop the computer from winning. This will usually be a corner space, but that can vary depending on the moves you’ve made so far in the game. On your final move, place your remaining X in the last open space.

   • Pay close attention to each O the computer puts down, and make sure you catch all of its attempts to win.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Luigi Oppido

   Tech Specialist

   Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over 7 years.

   

   Luigi Oppido
   Tech Specialist

   Google’s Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe is beatable—but not winnable. The AI is programmed to always make the optimal move, but if you play perfectly, you can force a draw. It’s more about exploiting the rules of the game than beating an AI that (I’m pretty sure) can’t be beaten.
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Section 2 of 3:

Playing to Win in Medium Tic-Tac-Toe

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1. 
   1
   Put your first X in any corner. The best move at the start of any Tic-Tac-Toe game is to claim a corner. It’s the easiest move to make because there are so many different ways to guarantee a win when you start there. Other spaces have fewer opportunities for you to take advantage of as the game progresses.

   • Unlike Impossible mode, the computer likely won’t choose the center space for its first O this time. While that makes this game harder to predict, it gives you more ways to win!
2. 
   2
   Place your next X in another corner, with empty space between the Xs. While it might seem like the center space is the logical move, don’t rush yourself! You can trap the game (or any other human opponent) by setting up the perfect winning scenario for yourself. Choose another corner and ensure the computer’s first O isn’t between the Xs.

   • For example, if you place your X in the top-right corner and the computer places an O in the top-center space, your next X should go in the bottom-right corner, not the top-left.
   • The goal here is to set up a fork, or a play where you can win two ways. The computer can only block one path, so you’ll be able to snag a win either way.
3. 
   3
   Place your X in the center space or another corner. From here, a couple of formations can guarantee victory—but which one you use will depend on how the computer is playing. Look at the computer’s plays so far and determine which move you can do without getting blocked. You'll have 2 clear routes to victory once your third X is down.

   • If the computer hasn’t lined up 2 Os yet, place your next X in a corner. With 3 Xs in 2 corners, you’ll be able to win either horizontally or diagonally.
   • If the computer has made a play that forces you to pick the middle space or lose (typically placing Os in the middle left and right spaces), place your X in the middle. This way, you’ll be able to win in 2 different diagonal directions.
4. 
   4
   Win the game with the final X in the center or a third corner. You’ve perfectly set up your play; all you have to do now is let the computer block one path and place your final X on the winning spot. Depending on the formation you choose, you’ll either be looking at a diagonal Tic-Tac-Toe or a straight Tic-Tac-Toe vertically or horizontally along one side of the board.

   • If you chose the 3-corner configuration, place your final X either in the center spot to win diagonally or one of the middle-side spots to win a straight Tic-Tac-Toe.
   • If you played with the corner-center configuration, place your final X on the corner space that will allow you to win diagonally on the board.
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Section 3 of 3:

Using “Inspect” to Make It Look Like You Won

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1. 
   1
   Bring up Medium Tic-Tac-Toe and right-click or tap with 2 fingers. Once you have the Medium version of Tic-Tac-Toe pulled up, the process to reprogram it is simple. Just hover over “Medium” with your mouse and right-click to view your options (or, if you’re on a laptop without a mouse, hover over “Medium” and tap the trackpad with 2 fingers).
2. 
   2
   Click the “Inspect” option and view the code that pops up. Once you hit “Inspect,” a long page of code will appear on your computer screen. Ignore most of it; the block of code you need will already be highlighted in blue. Click the sideways arrow to the left of the code block so that another block of code becomes visible, and then click a second sideways arrow below the first to reveal the final piece of code.

   • The original block of code you’re looking for will look like:
     <g-dropdown-menu-button-caption jscontroller="EbPKJf" data-ddph="" jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md">Medium</g-dropdown-menu-button-caption>
   • The next block of code revealed after you click the sideways arrow will look like:
     <g-dropdown-menu-button-caption jscontroller="EbPKJf" data-ddph="" jsaction="rcuQ6b:npT2md">Medium</g-dropdown-menu-button-caption>
   • The final block of code revealed after you click the second sideways arrow will be:
     Medium
3. 
   3
   Type “Impossible” in place of “Medium” in the code. Now that you’ve found the code block you need, double-click to highlight the word "Medium." Then, type “Impossible” so that it replaces the original text. Once you’re done, simply click the “x” at the top right of the code window to close it out.
4. 
   4
   Play the game using the new “Impossible” mode. Now, you can play Medium-difficulty Tic-Tac-Toe on Google while disguising it as Impossible. Keep in mind that this is just for show, but it can be a fun way to try to convince your friends that you actually beat Impossible Tic-Tac-Toe.

   • Take a screenshot of your win to show other people that you beat the game. Use the Print Screen (Prt Sc) button and paste the picture into a Paint document on a PC, or press Command + Shift + 3 simultaneously on a Mac.
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• Question

  Can you play on mobile?

  

  Charles Adams

  Community Answer

  Yes. Go to Google and search "Tic Tac Toe." It should show up.

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